


salt and sky • jongdae x minseok

by abnegative



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 07:11:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 26,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16363274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abnegative/pseuds/abnegative
Summary: Jongdae is living a happy but lonely life. He never expects to have it turned upside down when he encounters a strange but beautiful creature one night when the moon is full and the waves are quiet.Minseok always hated the water. One night when the moon is full he is drawn inexplicably to a strange island where he is transformed into a beautiful creature of salt and scale.





	1. Chapter 1

 

Minseok had no idea what had happened to him at first. Although he was born with natural curiosity and an adventurous nature he had always been afraid of the water. When he'd woken up with a craving for the full moon it was like something had taken over his body. He had no control. It was almost like he was possessed.

 

He remembered pushing the little rowboat away from the sandy shore while the full moon overhead drew him further and further out into deep waters. He didn't remember how long he rowed for or how far out he went. But when he saw the strange rock formation looming out of the water he knew that was where he was supposed to be.

 

As he neared the rock formation that made a strange shaped island he saw that there was an opening. He rowed the boat inside and looked up. The rocks surrounded him like a well with dark damp walls, the black night sky overhead, the full moon perfectly placed in the centre of the walls. As he looked up he felt a connection, a synchronicity with the sky and the water he never felt before, and he closed his eyes in relaxation.

 

Suddenly the boat was bumped from below. And again. And a final bump that tipped it over. Strangely, Minseok didn't feel any fear or panic, just an acceptance and resignation of his fate. As the cold black water swallowed his body he relaxed and prepared to die. He hoped it would be a drowning rather than an attack from whatever bumped the boat. He let the cold black shroud envelope him and as he sank further and further from the full moon above he watched it fade with amusement.  He felt warmer the further down he went and he felt like he could breathe again as the warmth increased.

 

_So this is what it feels like to die?_

 

_To drown?_

 

It wasn't so bad. But just as the warm relaxation surrounded him he stopped sinking. He was distracted by a flash of violet, then teal, then rich royal blue. The flash of colour and light distracted him again and then again from the other direction and he suddenly realised he was moving through the water. The distracting flashes that glittered and glowed with colour and beauty seemed to be under his control and shock flooded his body when he realised what it was.

 

 _Fins_.

 

_Tail._

_His tail._

 

His beautiful glittering scaly tail, extending from the bottom of his torso, sparkling in the darkness with flashes of purple and green and blue and glowing with luminescence as he began to swim through the water. He stretched his arms out as his tail kicked and he was pleased to see he still had hands but slender delicate fins ran down the backs of his arms. He reached around and found one down his back as well.

 

He kicked and swam through the water without a thought of how or why. Why had this happened to him? How did this magical event occur? None of this mattered to Minseok as he whipped his tail through the water wildly as he sped along the black murky depths.

 

 

He was shaken from his purposeless race by a flash beside him. He stopped and floated as a face stared curiously back at him. Minseok had never seen anyone as beautiful as himself but this creature was stunning. He had wildly floating black hair surrounding the most angelic face, pink and lavender scales glittering down the sides as they framed his features, a long pink tail extending out from his torso. "Hi. I'm Yixing. You're the new merling right?" Minseok looked down at his own tail and smiled. "I guess so."

 

Yixing squealed with delight. "We don't get new brothers very often." He held his hand out to Minseok who took it tentatively. "I have to take you to King Junmyeon. He's going to love you!"

 

Minseok had never seen a merling home before, let alone a merling castle for a King, and he didn't know what to expect. What he found was a huge coral reef, a mile long interconnected natural structure of iridescent coral beauty. The merling called Yixing led him along a sandy path untouched by foot or fin down the middle to a long bench shaped by nature and the tides. Seated in the middle was the most beautiful creature Minseok had ever seen. His hair was dark and waved around his face with the water flow. It was dotted with tiny pearls, as was the side of his face, and the long tail curled around him on the bench was a spotless and flawless iridescent white pearl. His body was tight and pale. His skin was flawless. The fins extending from the backs of his arms were translucent and glowed along the edge with their own luminescence. He was perfect.

 

"I found him." Yixing crooned deferentially as he swam to sink into the sand below the merling king. "Did I do well?" The dark eyes of the merling king glittered with love as he looked down into the face of the one who brought the new merling to him. "Yes my little starfish. You did well. Come sit by me." The king beckoned and the joy that spread across the one called Yixing was palpable. He settled on the bench next to the king who beckoned Minseok closer.

 

Minseok swam to defer at the feet of the powerful and beautiful creature before him. "You are a pretty one." He smiled at Minseok as he stroked his cheek. "I can see why the moon chose you to be our new brother." Minseok felt the magic in his words through his body and he shivered at the King's touch. "Do you have a name?" "Its Minseok. And I don't know how or why I'm here." The king smiled gently at him. "The mysteries of the moon's magic are a wonder unknown to man or us. She brought you here for a reason." The king spoke with a combination of love and authority that made Minseok feel warm and safe and calm.

 

"Make yourself at home. Yixing here will show you around and look after you." The king smiled down at the beautiful merling hanging on his every word and nodding in agreement. "We only have a few rules and they're for safety. No going away from home alone." This sentence was said pointedly for the benefit of Minseok and also Yixing who blushed at the implied chastisement. "No going near the shore." Minseok nodded. "And always look out for your brothers. The ocean is beautiful Minseok. But dangerous for a creature of delicacy and beauty. "

 

"Come on." Yixing said as he grabbed Minseok by the hand pulling him away from the King. "I'll show you where you can make a nest if you're tired. Then I want to put shells in your hair! And you can meet our other brothers!" Minseok allowed himself to be pulled along with the current through the beautiful coral structure he now called home.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

Jongdae squatted down on the deck of his boat as he rinsed the buckets and the nets clean. It was a good catch. He smiled happily to himself as he checked the hold and saw the shining scales of the fruits of his labour.

 

It was a simple life but a happy one. He would fish, his huge nets trawling the bay, his years of experience passed down through his family telling him where to go, at what time and on what tide. He preferred to fish at night, the moon his constant companion, the sky and the wind and the swell telling him everything he needed to know. Sometimes he would set the nets and curl up in the little bed in the cabin of the boat. Sometimes when the weather was nice he would bring a blanket out onto the deck and just stare up at the night sky. The moon and the stars, the millions of constellations, the constant changing of the cycles all comforted him.

 

He could see the sun rising over the horizon and he pulled in one last haul. The catch spilled free from the net as his muscular arms worked the ropes and pulleys that controlled the rise and fall of the nets attached to his boat. The boat was truly a thing of beauty, all clean and gleaming wood, every rope and pulley and mechanism cleaned and oiled and cared for. He picked through the fish scattered all over the deck and tossed a few rogue crabs and starfish back over the side as the rest were pushed down into the hold. He sighed with self satisfaction, stowed the nets away, and turned the boat for home.

 

 

 

He docked his boat at the wharf and began to unload the catch. "Hey Chanyeol!" He called out to the dock master who was working hard unloading fish. "Hey Jongdae. You went out early today!" Jongdae laughed loudly from the deck of his boat. "Nah! You should know me better than that! I just went out late and stayed out too long!" he secured his boat at the dock and began to unload the fish. "what's the price today? He yelled over the sounds of men working, seagulls squawking, the sea swelling. "It's good Jongdae, $11.00 per kilo!" Chanyeol yelled as his arms worked hard on the ropes and pulleys and Jongdae's worked just as hard.

 

An hour later Jongdae had his money, his boat was clean, and Chanyeol had sent him up the hill to the café with a beautiful shell he had found secured in his pocket. Jongdae opened the door to the little café set just up from the beach. It was rustic looking, built years ago from salvaged wood from an old ferry, and the simple sign in blue that hung over the door read 'Salt'. The little bell rang announcing his arrival and Baekhyun wrinkled his nose from behind the counter. "Jongdae. I wish you would go home and shower before you come here for breakfast!" He frowned but there was a twinkle in his eye and it softened when Jongdae pulled the shell out and handed it over. "Chanyeol and his treasures." He said as a soft smile played across his lips and he searched the shelf behind the counter for the perfect place to put his gift. "Go sit! But not near the door you'll scare away my real customers!"

 

Jongdae plonked himself down in a chair and coffee and bagels soon appeared in front of him. He ate the cream cheese covered bagels slowly as his eyes watched Baekhyun singing to himself behind the counter. He watched him pick up the shell and trace its colours with his fingertips, smiling again to himself, and a quiet envy settled in the pit of Jongdae's stomach.

 

His life was fun, it was fulfilling, he had steady work that he enjoyed and a home that was comfortable, and friends to share his weekends with fun and laughter and activities. But as he watched Baekhyun humming to himself, his fingers moving from one gifted treasure to another on the shelf behind him, Jongdae envied their love. He wished for someone to make his heart sing, someone who would put a wistful smile on his face, someone who would wait expectantly and with joy for a simple gift of a discovered treasure.

 

Jongdae chewed his bagel and suddenly felt very tired. He chugged down the coffee and tossed a note from his pocket at Baekhyun who gave it back and Jongdae frowned. "Baek. You can't keep feeding me for free. I have money and if you give your business away you won't!" Baekhyun just laughed as he refused the cash. "Spend it on something to get rid of that smell! You smell like fish and muddy salt water!" Baekhyun dissolved into giggles and Jongdae just smiled and left the little café and headed for home.

 

The sun was climbing high into the sky when he sank into his comfortable bed. It was warm but he was cool from the long shower he took and he put the ceiling fan on high and buried his tired body under a thick blanket. He fiddled with the hem of the pillowcase and willed his brain to sleep but it wouldn't. It didn't matter, he wasn't going out on the boat that night, he was taking a few days off. His catch had been big and worth at least a few days work and he suddenly felt overwhelmingly tired but he couldn't switch off. He got up and put the tv in his bedroom on and closed his eyes and listened to the grating sounds of morning television as he tried to relax.

 

He must have fallen asleep because he woke up in the hot afternoon sun. he threw the heavy blankets off his body and rubbed his head. He had a headache, not uncommon when he'd spent all night on the boat and slept in fitful dribs and drabs, and got up to drink a huge glass of water. He downed the glass and poured another and took it back to his bedroom. The morning talk shows had gave way to the loud afternoon sounds of children's cartoons and he switched the tv off preferring the sound of the wind and the waves anyways.

 

He ate a fresh dinner of a few grilled fish fillets and some salad and found a leftover piece of chocolate cake sent home with him by Baekhyun a few days ago from the café. He ate it mindlessly and wondered what they were doing. Sharing a dinner, laughing and talking as they cooked together, walking along the beach hand in hand. Jongdae never used to feel lonely but the night was empty and the only thing that comforted him was calling him. He needed the sea.

 

He stepped out of his little seaside house and walked along the gravel path to the wharf. His beautiful boat was waiting patiently as always, bobbing up and down, gently waiting to welcome him and take him to the open ocean. He climbed onto the deck, unhitched the ropes, and drove slowly away from the wharf. He didn't even know if he wanted to fish or if he just craved the freedom of salt and sky.

 

He drove away and followed the moon, heading in a different direction than usual, heading away from the western edge of the peninsula towards the east. The moon hung high and the breeze barely blew and the freedom Jongdae craved drew him out further and further. Finally the calling inside him eased and he dropped anchor and dropped a net. He didn't know if he was going to catch anything but it didn't seem to matter. He laid on his back, stared at the sky, and waited.


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

Minseok' s new life under the water was both strange and wonderful. He settled in at the merling king's castle and spent his time learning the ways of the ocean. Yixing had taken a liking to him instantly, weaving strings of iridescent shells through his hair, showing him how to make a resting place on the sand out of sea grasses and driftwood. The other merlings who lived in the sanctity of the king were more reluctant and suspicious. "It's hard for them..." Yixing whispered one day as they lay languid on the ocean floor, a sandbar comfortable under their tails, Yixing weaving Minseok's dark hair into a tangle of thin braids. "There used to be more of us but some of our brothers wandered....."

 

He could see why Yixing had taken him under his wing. The other merlings were quiet and sad looking and the two called Kyungsoo and Jongin were never separated. Jongin was long and lean and scaled in rich rose gold and bronze. His fins were as black as his hair and he never strayed far from the castle. His constant companion, Kyungsoo, was a vision in gunmetal grey. His tail glimmered with opalescence and his dark eyes were constantly searching for something he could never seem to find. They were both kind enough to him but they lived in their own little world.

 

The one they called Sehun, long and dark and stunning, was scaled in every shade of green and jade and teal. He never spoke. He never smiled. He just sat on a rock near the entrance to the castle and stared out into the ocean. Minseok wanted to ask him what he was waiting for but he was too afraid of the cold looking merling to approach him.

 

The daily fascinations never ceased. He discovered that merlings did not in fact eat fish and the thought horrified the others. "Eat our brothers?" Yixing' s gentle heart was shocked. "No we eat the ocean's grass and seaweed." Yixing taught Minseok everything he needed to know. How to forage and graze when he felt hungry which was surprisingly hardly ever. He discovered the unmistakeable pull of the forces of the moon on his life. It drew him to the surface, it guided them on their adventures, it drove him father and braver and deeper into the ocean.

 

Minseok had never felt so alive.

 

His former life was fast becoming a faded memory. He could barely remember how to walk, how to drink a glass of water or drive a car, how to breathe the dry burn of air. The tiny slits behind his ears fed his body with all the oxygen he needed as he pushed his strong body faster and faster through the water. He raced dolphins through the darkness and envied them when they leaped ahead of him out of the water. He followed an octopus as deep as he could until the pressure got too much and he got dizzy. Yixing laughed at him while he recovered and swore he wouldn't do that again.

 

When the sun disappeared and the moon burned bright with its cold light overhead he floated on the surface and let its energy soak into his body. Yixing's desire for the surface was lessened by his years under the ocean but Minseok needed the silver light of his ruling goddess dancing across his scales. It made him feel wonderful.

 

Yixing explained to him the rules of their tail. "When the moon is full enough you can leave the water. Once your skin dries your legs will come back. But only if there is enough moonlight to help you transform." Yixing' s face became dark as his expression clouded. "I don't know why anyone would want to go back to land anyway..." he shifted his position and resumed his constant attention on Minseok' s hair. "Anyway, it's not to be done lightly, and as soon as the saltwater hits you your tail will come back."

 

Yixing' s patience with him was incredible. He stretched his beautiful quartz and lavender tail and scratched it on a smooth rock while he explained to Minseok about their lost brothers. "They wandered too far one day. There was a storm and we lost them. We prayed every night for the magic of the moon to guide our brothers home but they never came back. Yifan was beautiful, scaled in glittering gold, the biggest merling I've ever seen. Zitao was like a prince in royal blue and bronze. He was so sweet and gentle, he was one of our babies, and I really miss him. And our oldest brother.." Yixing collected his thoughts while he continued. "We lost our oldest brother Luhan. He was fair and gentle, beautiful and sweet, and so loving. His tail was stunning. I've never seen a merling scaled in red before. He was the only one." Yixing played with a little crab, smiling to himself as it ran across his hand, before setting it free on the sand. "Sehun waits for him every day. Luhan had taken the others with him to search for Sehun's favourite nautilus shells deep in a ravine. He hasn't forgiven himself and hasn't spoken to anyone but the king since Luhan was lost...."

 

That night as he curled up in his nest Minseok's mind wandered to the pain of their lost brothers. He understood why the king and Yixing were so happy to have him. The loss of three must have been hard to bear and he felt incredibly sad for their youngest who carried the heaviest burden.

 

Minseok heeded the words of the king. He knew the rules and he knew that he shouldn't go too far from Yixing's constant watch and guidance. But his adventurous spark wasn't the least bit dulled by his transformation and Minseok wondered if he looked would he be able to find their lost brothers? Surely they couldn't have vanished off the face of the earth. They must be around somewhere.

 

He floated on the surface in the ink black of night, the saltwater buoying his long lean body, moonlight glittering on the shells woven in his hair. He stared at the moon and felt it staring back at him, drawn to him as much as he was to this ruling celestial being, fascinated by its power over him. He bathed in its glow and spoke aloud as he asked the questions he didn't dare ask Yixing.

 

"Why. Why did you bring me here? Why did you make me like this?"

 

His lean muscular body floated gently in its light as it stared in silence back at him. He knew there had to be a reason. He wondered if he could find their lost brothers and bring them home. Was this why he was brought here?

 

He had to find out.


	4. Chapter 4

 

 

 

It was calling him. He couldn't deny it. It was drawing him like a magnet towards the surface. Minseok looked over at the sleeping Yixing and made his move. His body rippled through the water without making a sound or wake as he ascended to the surface in search of what he wanted.

 

There was something out there, something he was supposed to find, was it their lost brothers? Or was it something else? Whatever it was he was powerless to stop it as he moved through the water at the surface, the moonlight rippling on his scales, his fins guiding him on his path across the surface. He swam for what felt like hours, he didn't know where he was going, all he knew was that he had to keep moving in the direction of the waning moon overhead.

 

Fear never entered his mind although it should have. As he drew closer and closer to the peninsula in the distance he saw a flash of something next to him.

 

Dolphin? No – they didn't shimmer and sparkle like that. They were smooth and matte and swam with a calm gentleness.

 

Shark? No – Minseok knew a shark would have just taken a fin already. A hungry shark was to be feared but also had no delay of gratification. Yixing had taught him that a shark attack would be over before he even knew it happened, they were rare but it was still a risk, but Minseok knew this was something else.

 

A flash of bright reflective black sped past him in the water and was followed by two more. Minseok grew cold from fear, something told him to be very wary, and that intuition proved to be right. He was grabbed by cold claws, the creature turning him around to face him, and when they were eye to eye he knew. The red glow from his tail and the beauty in his warped features were unmistakeable. "Brother." Minseok whispered through the water and got a savage response. "You are not my brother."

 

The creature bared its teeth and two more approached. Their scales were black and slick like oil. Their eyes were red and they bore dark fangs and dark claws and Minseok could feel their dark hearts beating inside their chests. "I know you. I am your brother." He looked towards the tall one with the fine features. "Junmyeon needs you. He relied on you." He got a cold glare in return. "You." He turned to the one with the blue glow in his fins. "They all miss their baby. They want you to come home." Not a glimmer of acknowledgement or understanding crossed the creature's face. "And you. Sehun misses you. He blames himself and waits every day for you to come home. He hasn't given up hope."

 

He swore he saw a flicker of pain cross the creature's beautiful face and he used the momentary distraction to get away. His arm slipped from its grasp, sharp claws raking down his soft white skin, the wound opening up immediately. Minseok moved quick but his pursuer moved quicker and he flicked his tail frantically as he moved faster through the water away from the dark creatures that should have called him brother.

 

His stamina was decreasing fast. He was tired, his arm ached and bled, his gills working overtime to fuel his body as it moved. He couldn't help but slow as he got more and more tired. Junmyeon was right. He never should have ventured out alone and now he was going to die here alone at the hands of those who had been twisted from his kin into something from a nightmare.

 

He felt sharp claws gash into his back as the one that used to be Luhan tried to grab him but he slipped from his grasp. A dark shadow suddenly loomed overhead and his pursuers seemed to back off. Minseok slowed and recovered a little of his strength and wondered what made them disappear so quickly.

 

He felt dizzy and faint, the blood pouring from his wounds into the ocean would attract a shark for sure, and he couldn't see anywhere to head for safety. He turned and flicked his tail in the direction of the moon, the only guide he could rely on, and was suddenly pulled up into a tangle. Minseok had no idea the net surrounded him until it was too late. His arms were trapped, his body surrounded, and his tail trapped. He flailed and flipped around and felt his body moving and as he was lifted from the water exhaustion and blood loss overcame him and he passed out into a world of black.

 

 

 

 

Jongdae had been shaken from his half awake musings when the net he had absentmindedly cast began to pull. Concern filled his body. Something big enough to pull the net like that was usually a dolphin or a shark, sometimes a seal or a large squid, whatever it was it had to be rescued. He had to free it from his net as soon as he could.

 

Sweat poured from his forehead as his strong arms worked the ropes. He pulled the net out of the water and tried to see what was in it but it was dark and the net was too tangled. He swung the net onto the deck and lowered it, standing back in case it was a shark, but he was filled with confusion at the sight. Bundled in the net was a form, it was long and human sized, but the glitter of moonlight danced on beautiful scales in shades Jongdae had never seen before. He worked at the net when he saw blood leaking onto the deck and when he couldn't untangle the creature he pulled his pocket knife out and began to frantically cut the net. He worked quickly and cut the creature free and pulled it from the tangled fibres on the deck.

 

Shock and wonder filled Jongdae's eyes. A real life merling laid in his arms. His face was the epitome of marine beauty. The fine trail of scales that edged his face glittered under the moonlight like a million fairy lights. His skin was flawless besides the long gash down his arm that was oozing bright red blood all over the deck. Jongdae was breathless, caught up in the beauty of his long tail sparkling in green and teal, mesmerised by the tiny shells and braids woven intricately into his hair. His entire being was breathtaking. The sight of the bright red blood pooling on the deck shocked Jongdae out of his musings. He turned the creature over and saw the long scratches down his back. They were bleeding but shallow and the least of his concerns. The problem was the one on his arm.

 

He laid the creature gently on the damp deck and went to the cabin for emergency supplies. He found a sharp fishhook and some fine fishing line and put them into a cup. He poured some vodka he found over the top and went back to where the beautiful merling was still passed out in a puddle on the deck. Jongdae worked quickly with the hook, tugging it through the resistance of the creature's skin, using the fishing line to pull the gaping wound closed. Twelve stitches did the job, they were messy, but Jongdae was experienced enough to know how to deal with an emergency out on the water. They might leave a scar on this flawless creature but it would live.

 

He poured the rest of the vodka onto a clean cloth and bathed the arm and bandaged it. He cleaned the wounds on his back with the alcohol as well and hoped they wouldn't fester into an infection. Whatever had attacked him had been savage and fierce.

 

And with the moon hanging high overhead, blessing them with the cool golden light of its reflection, Jongdae sat on the deck of his boat with the merling's head in his lap and wondered what he was going to do next.


	5. Chapter 5

 

 

Jongdae didn't know what to do. Should he keep it wet or dry? Would it be okay? Should he take it to a doctor?

 

He stared at the creature, pale and heavy on the deck, and suddenly realised it might not be able to breath. He inspected the gills on the side of its face before holding his hand under its nose and was relieved to feel the slight rush of warm air. It was breathing.

 

He scooped it up and carried it inside and into the cabin of the boat. He knew one thing for sure, he couldn't put it back in the water unconscious and wounded, and instead he laid it on the bed and put the blankets over its lower half. Moonlight cut through the darkness of the cabin and Jongdae sat on the deck next to the bed and stared at the beautiful creature in front of him.

 

He was fascinated by the tiny braids and shells woven through the loose dark locks on its head. The scales on the sides of its face glittered under the watchful eye of the moon and Jongdae was amazed at the different hues reflected. He lifted the blanket and stole another glance at the long graceful tail lying limp under the warm covers. It was truly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. It was still breathing softly and steadily and Jongdae decided he couldn't do anything but wait to see if it woke up. He left the cabin and went out onto the deck and began diligently cleaning the mess that he had made saving the creature's life.

 

He poured buckets of salt water over the deck washing the blood from his sight. He sat down on a bench seat and began trimming and knotting the net he had so furiously slashed at in his panic. After a good hour of concentration the net was repaired and the deck was washed clean and the moon had begun to dip lower in the sky. Jongdae went back into the cabin and jumped when he saw the creature was just waking up and was sitting in the bed running its hands through its soft dark hair. But something was different. The glint and glimmer of scale was gone. The creature in the bed was a man, bare chested with smooth creamy skin and dark brows furrowed in pain and confusion, and he looked up at Jongdae in confusion.

 

"How did I get here?" he asked and Jongdae stammered. "I – ah – I accidentally caught you in my net... you were hurt..." It sounded surreal and now that he was faced with a man in front of him instead of a merling he wondered if he had imagined the whole thing. Maybe he had spent too much time out on the sea lately. But the carefully stitched wound was still there, as were the long scratches down his back, and Jongdae moved closer and sat on the corner of the bed.

 

"How do you feel?" he asked and the man began to cry. "My brothers. I found them but they didn't know me.." Jongdae was confused and began to panic. Crying wasn't really his thing and he rushed to try and give the man some comfort. He put his arm around the shoulders of the softly sobbing man, careful to avoid the deep gashes on his back, and rubbed his shoulder soothingly. He didn't know who his brothers were or why the sobbing man was so sad but when he heard the little sounds coming from his throat empathy filled Jongdae's heart. He just seemed so sad.

 

Suddenly he snapped out of it and began to shuffle under the covers. "The moon... I need the moon.." he swung his legs off the bed and onto the ground before Jongdae could stop him. He tried to stand but his knees gave way immediately and it was only when he fell to the deck that Jongdae realised the man was completely naked. He blushed bright red and grabbed the blanket from the bed and tossed it over the man's naked body before helping him to stand. His legs wobbled and wavered as he leaned on Jongdae and they made their way out under the stars.

 

As the light of the full moon was swallowed by his pale skin he seemed to find a renewed strength. "Thank you for saving me. My name's Minseok. I used to be like you not that long ago." He turned towards Jongdae and put his hand on Jongdae's arm and he felt a chill run through his body. "I have to go home. Too many brothers have already been lost." He moved to the side of the boat and Jongdae rushed to stop him. "Wait. What about whatever attacked you? Can I at least get you closer to home?"

 

Minseok considered it. He felt weak, his arm was so painful and his back was burning, and he was more tired than he had ever been. But he also knew Junmyeon wouldn't be happy if he brought a man with a boat too close to their home. "You can take me half way." He said and pointed in the direction away from the sinking moon and Jongdae grabbed the wheel of his boat and turned it in the right direction.

 

As Jongdae drove the boat Minseok leaned over the side and watched the dark water ripple and roll beneath them. He had forgotten what it looked like from above but his fear was gone and all he was left with was a craving for the cold embrace of the ocean. His legs felt unusual and strange and he hated the dry feeling of air rushing in and out of his nose. But he couldn't help eye the man driving the boat with an interested curiosity.

 

Minseok sensed something within him, an affinity, a symbiosis. He could tell this man knew the ocean inside out. That he knew the tides and the cycles of the moon, the reefs and archipelagos, the wind and the sun and the rain. He watched him concentrate in silence as he drove and Minseok could feel the warmth of sunlight and sand seeping from his skin.

 

He was beautiful, with deep dark almond eyes and skin that looked like a smooth shell, and shiny dark hair blown back from his face with the force of the wind as they sped through the night. Minseok, his sight blessed every day with the most beautiful creatures on earth, was rendered breathless as he studied his features intently.

 

"What?" Jongdae laughed when he caught the landlocked merling staring at him. "You're very beautiful." Minseok replied. "My brothers would love you." He didn't have the inclination or desire to guard his words and he smiled at Jongdae's bashful blush.

 

"Stop here." He said quietly and Jongdae complied. He turned to say goodbye to the creature and his blush crept from his cheeks to his whole body when Minseok dropped the blanket to the ground revealing his nakedness to the moonlit night. "Goodbye....friend?" Minseok whispered and Jongdae realised he never gave his name. "It's Jongdae. I'm always out here on the ocean if you ever need help..." he stared wistfully and somewhat hungrily as the creature walked on unsteady legs to the side of the boat, climbed onto the rail, and dropped into the water below.

 

Jongdae held his breath and relaxed when he saw a ripple and then dark hair appear above the water. "Look out for me when the moon is full!" Minseok called and disappeared under the water with a splash of his beautifully coloured tail.


	6. Chapter 6

 

Yixing frowned when he saw Minseok swimming towards him. "You went too far." He said and frowned even deeper when he saw his arm. "What happened?"

 

"Yixing..." Minsoek was breathless as his gills worked overtime to keep up with his movements towards his brother. "Yixing I found something wonderful...." Yixing grabbed him by the arm and tears filled his eyes when he saw the deep gash sewn carefully together with fishing line. "Minsoek. This is from a man. I know. I told you not to go too close to the surface." He leaned over and began to knaw at the fishing line with his teeth to remove the stitches. He pulled the tangled line free from Minsoek's soft skin and when the wound started to bleed he held it closed with his hands. He closed his eyes and as his fingertips glowed in the darkness of the depths the wound closed over. Minsoek stared at in fascination as the wound became a scar, scattered with the same iridescent pinks and lavenders of Yixing's beautiful tail, and smiled.

 

"That's amazing." Minsoek grinned and turned around. "My back too...." Yixing ran his magical hands down Minsoeks back, sealing him and healing him, and he felt as good as new. "Minsoek. What made these marks on you? Too savage for a fellow fish. But they don't seem human?" Minseok turned to Yixing with his eyes shining bright. "I found them Yixing. I found our brothers. But they were wrong..." tears filled his eyes as he turned away. "They were wrong and I knew them but they didn't know me. They were black." The colour drained from Yixing's glowing face. "And they attacked you?" Minseok nodded.

 

"Then I got caught ina net and a human man saved me. He was wonderful." Minsoek's eyes glittered and sparkled with the light of a million reflections as he remembered the feeling he had on Jongdae's boat. "A man. A man of the ocean, someone who knows the waves and the tides and the wind, someone who knows how to read the sky." Healed and refreshed, Minsoek swam in little circles around his shocked brother who was trembling with fear, the frightened expression not registering for the other excited creature. "Yixing he was beautiful. He smelled like the sea and the sun. Like salt and sky. And he saved me and fixed me and brought me back."

 

"How close?" Yixing was terrified. Junmyeon was going to be so angry if Minseok brought a man to their reef and was relieved to hear that he had only brought him half way. But still. He was going to find out. The King had to know and he would see the telltale signs of Yixing's healing anyway. "Minsoek. You have to be more careful. You can't be going to the surface, or so far from home, or anywhere alone. It's too dangerous." Yixing was already dreading the conversation he was going to be having with the King. "But Yixing. I found them. We have to go and get them back." He sighed. "And I have to see him again. I have to see the man." Yixing furrowed his brow as he settled Minseok into a nest to rest and heal. He didn't like where this was going. Not at all.

 

 

 

 

 

Jongdae woke up in his bed with the early afternoon sun pouring down on him thorugh the open window. He shook his head groggily and let the events of last night wash over him. He shook his head at how ridiculous it was. A merman? Yeah right. He had either hit his head or had spent way too much time on the ocean. Maybe he had been dehydrated or something? It must have just been a seal or something and maybe he fell trying to cut it out of the net or maybe it bit him or maybe he just dreamed the whole thing.....

 

He got up and showered and dressed in fresh clothes. He decided to go eat at the café and get a good nights rest. Clearly he'd had too much of the ocean. On the way to the café he saw his boat bobbing up and down at the end of the dock and he knew he better check on her to make sure he'd cleaned the deck properly.

 

A faint brown stain marred the beautiful wooden deck and Jongdae silently cursed. Blood was the worst as it soaked into the very fibre of the wood. He knew he would have to sand and revarnish at least that small patch and maybe the whole deck if he couldn't make it match. He would never stand for a blight on the beautiful visage of his pride and joy. He checked the nets and saw that, despite his questionable condition, he had made a decent repair to the cuts.

 

On a whim Jongdae decided to check the cabin and chuckled when he thought of the ridiculous notion that he had put a merling creature into his bed and it woke up a man with legs. He laughed to himself at what he was now convinced was a vivid dream, the product of too much sun and salt, lack of sleep, and a possible head injury.

 

 

The sheets and blankets were still askew and Jongdae absentmindedly hoped in his daze he hadn't accidentally put an injured seal into his bed. He tossed the sheets loose to fix them up and heard a clatter as something hit the deck. Curious, he dropped the sheet onto the bed and dropped to his knees, feeling around under the bed. He felt something and grasped it in his hand and when he retrieved the hidden item he gasped a little with shock.

 

Nestled in his palm was a thin string hung with little pearls and tiny shells. It was delicate and beautiful and brought back a rush of memories from the night before. As he gently fingered the string of treasure in his palm he remembered the same strings of precious beauty woven through the dark locks of an exquisite creature lying helpless and injured in his bed. And he shivered all over when he realised this was the proof that he hadn't been dreaming. The merling had been real, he had laid in Jongdae's arms, he had saved its life and been rewarded with a smile like the glow of a waxing moon and a glimpse of skin smoother than a rock caressed by a million waves.

 

He clutched the string in his fist and held it to his chest.

 

"Look for me when the moon is full.."

 

He remembered its words and counted down the days. In about 26 days it would be almost a full moon again and he decided he would look for him. He would sail his boat out in the direction the mood led him and try to catch another glimpse of the beautiful creature that was burned into his memory.


	7. Chapter 7

 

"What's that?" Baekhyun indicated the string around Jongdae's wrist. It was a thin leather strap wrapped with a fine delicate string of something Baekhyun couldn't figure out. Dotted along the string was an assortment of beautiful natural pears, irregular shaped and coloured, their pattern broken by shells of every hue. Baekhyun had a taste for beautiful things and it caught his eye immediately.

 

"It's nothing. Just something I found on the beach." Jongdae said as he fingered the strand absentmindedly. It had been three weeks since he had rescued the otherworldly creature and the precious string was all he had to make sure he remembered how real it was. He had worried he would break it or lose it so he wound it with the leather for protection and wore it on his wrist for safekeeping. The moon was waxing and looked larger every night and Jongdae knew he would be able to go and look for the merling creature soon. He had to. He wanted to return its treasure and he wanted to make sure it was safe. He had thought of nothing else.

 

"Damnit. Really? All the shells and stuff Chanyeol finds on the beach and fishes out of the ocean and yet you find that?" Baekhyun sighed. He hoped that Jongdae might offer it to him but he was disappointed when the man sitting opposite just turned his attention to fidgeting with the little pearls.

 

Jongdae was itching to tell someone about the merling. But he had to know for sure. And he knew that Baekhyun, as sweet as he was and as well as they knew each other, would be sceptical. The scepticism would turn to concern and then into an intervention with Baekhyun and Chanyeol descending upon his life with declarations about how he spent too much time on the boat, too much time out on the ocean, that he needed to meet people and become more social. He wasn't ready for that. He would defend his position once he knew for sure.

 

"Are you okay?" Baekhyun watched his friend with curiosity. He'd been strange for the last few weeks. Baekhyun had never known him to be so vacant and daydreamy. His eyes were always faraway and wistful and his concentration was lacking. He made a mental note to remind Chanyeol they needed to spend more time with their friend. He was alone too much, out on the boat too much,and it wasn't doing him any good.

 

"I'm going for a swim." Jongdae suddenly said as he stood up from the table. "Thanks for lunch." He grabbed some notes out of his wallet, Baekhyun made a show of refusing them, and instead Jongdae dropped them into the tips jar on his way out the door. He walked along the path to his little house set back from the beach, let himself inside, and stripped off his shirt and shoes. He changed his shorts to a lighter pair just right for swimming, grabbed a towel, and headed out the door.

 

Jongdae wandered along the path away from the wharve, down past the docks, and climbed down a little rock wall. Once he was on the sand he walked and walked, searching for solitude, craving the salt and the sand and the sky in silence. He tossed his shoes off, dropped his tank top onto the towel, and looked around. He was totally alone and on a whim he dropped his shorts too and quickly waded out into the azure waves crashing lightly on the sand.

 

When the cold water hit his naked skin he gasped but it was welcome. He felt refreshed instantly. He waded until the water was waist deep before diving under and swimming along the bottom for a few metres. He opened his eyes and let the sting of the salt flood in. His belly barely grazed the white sandy seabed as he swam through the clear blue water until it was deep enough so he couldn't touch the bottom. He let his body rise to the top and enjoyed the buoyancy as he floated with his eyes closed, the sun beating down on his naked skin, the world seemingly millions of miles away.

 

Jongdae had always enjoyed his own company. He was a solitary soul, happy by himself, but as he bobbed in the waves he wondered what it would be like to have someone there with him. Someone to laugh with in the sun, someone who understood him and cared for him, someone to break up the loneliness that had begun to creep into his life. He held his breath and let his body sink under the water and he imagined that person was the creature he had pulled from the ocean that night. Not the merling with the glittering scales and lithely luxurious tail. The man who had rose on unsteady legs from his bed. The man who called himself Minseok before he dropped into the water and became a fish again.

 

 

How lucky was Minseok to be a merling. How amazing, to spend your life at the bottom of the ocean, bothered by nothing but the current of the water and the distance to the surface.

 

_"My brothers would love you..."_

 

How many of them were there? Jongdae suddenly looked around him, under him, and off in the distance. His experience in the water had long taught him the difference between the friendly fin of a dolphin or the cutting warning of a shark. He knew to stay away from the sting of a jellyfish although he'd fallen victim a few times when he was a kid. He had never considered the idea that the splash in the waves of a glittering tail could be something other than a dolphin or a shark or even one of the huge kingfish which swam through seasonally causing every boat to hit the water. The thought that something else was out there never crossed his mind.

 

 

It had been twenty two days since he had waved goodbye to Minseok and the moon was getting bigger every night. Jongdae ducked under the water and swam back to the beach and decided that tonight he would start looking. The moon wouldn't be full for another night or two but he craved another glimpse of the beautiful creature haunting his every thought. Doing nothing was driving him crazy. He had to at least try to see him again.

 


	8. Chapter 8

 

 

Jongdae waited until the sun went down before unhitching the ropes and motoring his boat quetly out to sea. He was sick of his house, sick of land, he needed the wind and the waves. The sky over him was dark and endless and scattered with the beauty of a million stars. The moon was rising and it was big but not quite full. But Jongdae didn't care. He needed to try to see Minsoek. He let the boat chug slowly out of the bay and out into the open ocean before heading in the direction he last saw the beautiful creature swimming away from him.

 

Light danced across the water, scattering like sunlight on scales, as Jongdae dropped his anchor and sat down to wait. He picked at some fruit he had in the cabin, he scrolled through his phone a hundred times, he cleaned the deck and checked his ropes and inspected his nets.

 

And he waited.

 

He was just dozing off leaning against the cabin wall when he heard a loud splash. Jongdae ran to the side of the boat and looked over but he saw nothing but the inky black water reflecting the inky black sky. His eyes searched desperately for any surface movement, a ripple, a glimmer of tail or scale. And he was rewarded when the surface broke. The merling's head appeared above the water and he waved to Jondgae with a smile. "You came back!" he called out before ducking under the water. He reappeared by the side as Jongdae leaned down to see him. "Of course I came back." Jongdae smiled down at the beautiful pale face beaming up at him from the black water. "Come up!" he said and held out his hand.

 

The merling shook his head sadly. "I can't. There's not enough moon." He pouted gently, his rosebud lips forming a cute little circle, and a realisation washed over his face. "You come down here!" Jongdae looked around and then down at the black water. There was no land in sight, not even a rock or an island, and it was only his knowledge of the sky that had led him to this place with no landmarks.

 

The merling saw his hesitation and held his hand out. "I'll make sure you're safe. Trust me." His voice was clear and his eyes were sincere and Jongdae looked around. With no one watching, no humanity for miles, and nothing to lose he resigned himself and steeled his nerves. He shed his shoes and his shirt and on a whim he dropped his shorts as well. His naked body gleamed bare under the shy gaze of the moon but he felt no self consciousness as the eyes of the merling washed over him. He sat on the rail of the boat before dropping the few feet to plunge into the icy depths of the ocean.

 

Salt and sable pitch invaded his senses. Water filled his nose and ears and mouth. But he was a strong and confident swimmer and panic never set in. He kicked his legs and soon broke the surface to be met with the eyes of the merling staring right at him.

 

"You're an interesting man Jongdae." The merling smiled and Jongdae smiled back as he tread the water around him. "So are you. Can I call you Minseok even when you have your tail?" Jongdae spoke softly and carefully. This was a world unknown to him and he knew that as beautiful as the merling was he wasn't a man. He wasn't human any more and he didn't know how much humanity remained inside the creature but he got a gentle response as he swam a little. "You can call me Minseok." The creature grinned and the happy joy on his face was almost as radiant as the fine scales that edged his jawline.

 

"My brothers weren't happy with me." Minsoek said as tears filled his eyes. "They say men are dangerous. But I had to see you again. I tried to explain that you were different but they're scared for me." He swam closer to Jongdae who held his breath as the magical aura of the beautiful creature surrounded him. He had been shivering a little in the cold water but when Minseok came within touching distance of him the cold was chased away by a comforting warmth. He felt his effort decrease, he was buoyant and relaxed, as if the water was accepting him instead of pushing him away. "I had to come back and see you." Jongdae whispered as Minsoek came even closer. "You lost something and I had to bring it back." He unwound the leather strip from his wrist wrapped with the string of treasure and Minseok's face lit up with delight. "A gift! For me?" Excitement played across Minsoek's face as Jongdae wrapped the improvised bracelet around the merling's wrist.

 

"Not a gift. You lost this on my boat." He smiled and Minsoek shook his head. "Lost is lost. It is gone. The ocean gives and it takes away." He smiled gently as he fingered the leather tied tightly around his wrist. "If you find it, then it's yours to do as you wish, and you chose to give it to me." He grinned at Jongdae's surprised expression. "I'm still learning the ways of the ocean Jongdae. This is all new to me but I know that this is a gift and I'll wear it with pride. My brothers wont like it but they cant stop me."

 

He swam a little closer to Jongdae who held his breath at their proximity. Minsoek reached out and put his arms around Jongdae's shoulders and drew him into an embrace that made the dark depths of the cold ocean disappear. Jongdae felt like he was floating but in a soft cloud of warmth, like he was suspended in the shallows on a hot summer's day, and Minsoek's eyes met his in a gaze that felt hotter than the burning sand.

 

"Can I give you a gift in return?" Minsoek whispered and Jondae nodded as their gaze held strong. Minseok leaned close and pressed their lips together, gently but firmly, before pulling away with a soft smile. "You taste like the sun." he said as his eyes glittered under the moonlight and Jongdae had to rememeber how to breathe again. "You taste like the sea." He said to Minsoek who broke their embrace wistfully.

 

"Come back tomorrow night! The moon should be enough!" Minsoek called out and with a flick of his tail he was gone.


	9. Chapter 9

 

 

He woke feeling like he was still held warm and safe, ensconced in the delirium of fantasy, like nothing mattered but the merling who had invaded all his senses. His thoughts wouldn't organise themselves unless it was around memories of last night. Jongdae wrapped the blanket around his body tighter and closed his eyes and his mind wandered back to a time and place where reality was suspended in a world of ethereal pleasures.

 

He eventually had to rise. He threw open the curtains and was greeted with thick cloud cover and a steady breeze. His brows furrowed as he realised it wouldn't be ideal weather tonight for chasing merlings through the darkness. But he had found the place with no issues and he hoped that he would be able to do it again tonight without the guidance of the moon. The cloud cover might clear and the moon might lead the way but if it didn't he would still search. He would use every sense and skill to find the special place where the merling deemed safe to meet. He had to.

 

With the thick cloud cover and erratic breeze blowing most of the boats were docked. Jongdae set off down the short path to Baekhyun's café with a spring in his step that was fresh and new. He smiled to himself and let the fine drizzle dampen his face and hair as his grin played unselfconsciously across his face.

 

The little bell rang announcing his arrival and Jongdae wasn't surprised to find Chanyeol inside the café as well. "Hey." Jongdae greeted him and sat at his table. The café was as empty of customers as the dock was of fishing boats and Chanyeol obviously preferred to be inside rather than standing uselessly out in the rain. "Slacking off?" Jongdae teased and Chanyeol laughed loudly. "I can see the dock from here Jongdae! I don't see you out there in it!"

 

They both laughed happily as Baekhyun joined them with a big tray of coffee and toast. The chatter was lost in the quiet activity of three hungry men, covering the thick slices with various toppings Baekhyun had put in the middle of the tray, silent as they began to chew. As Jongdae lifted his toast slice, heavy with cream cheese and salmon, to his mouth Baekhyun squealed. "Jongdae! Where's the bracelet? Don't tell me you lost it!"

 

Chanyeol frowned and Jongdae blushed. "Oh. No.... I didn't lose it..." he said through his toast as he chewed. He swallowed and took a sip of coffee as Chanyeol looked to Baekhyun for explanation. "Jongdae found a bracelet on the beach. All tiny shells and pearls, it was beautiful Chanyeol, and wrapped around his wrist with on a leather thong." Baekhyun eyed his tall boyfriend pointedly. "It was beautiful and I dropped a few hints but he wouldn't give it to me." Baekhyun pouted to the dismay of Chanyeol who would give Baekhyun the earth and sky if he held them in his hands. "Baek. You can't have everything you want..." he poked his side and made him giggle before they both turned back to Jongdae who had been momentarily let off the hook. "So what happened to it?" Baekhyun wondered and Jongdae blushed. "I gave it to someone."

 

"WHAT? WHO? WHEN?" Baekhyun's shriek was almost inhuman. "You couldn't take a hint and give it to me but you gave it to someone else? Who?"Baekhyun had grabbed Jongdae by the shoulders and was scaring him a little. "Calm down Baek." Chanyeol grabbed him gently by the arm and pulled him close. Baekhyun relaxed on his boyfriend's lap and Jongdae sighed with relief. "I met someone ok? And I didn't want to tell you because you would, well, act like this." Jongdae sighed heavily. He decided an edited version of the truth would do.

 

"I met someone out on the water. Our nets got tangled and we started talking and, well...." Jongdae's eyes took on the faraway wistfulness of someone reliving a beautiful memory. "He's not from around here and he chased the kingfish towards our bay."

 

It was a good enough cover to satisfy the intense curiosity of Baekhyun. "Jongdae I'm so happy for you!" He dived from Chanyeol's lap onto Jongdae and wrapped him in a huge hug. "Where's he from? Do you love him? You aren't going to leave us are you? And did you give the bracelet to him?" The rapid fire questions bore down on Jongdae and he had to think to catch up. "The peninsula. I don't know. No. Yes." He smiled, relief at the sharing of his secret was relaxing, and drank the rest of his coffee. "He's beautiful and wonderful and we've only just met so don't get carried away. Okay Baek?" he laughed at the dreamy look on the face of his best friend who just happened to be a hopeless romantic.

 

After the longest and latest breakfast ever Jongdae left the energetic pair behind in the café. He had hoped the cloud would clear, and it had a little, but the breeze had also blown up. It wouldn't be an ideal night for chasing the open ocean but Jongdae didn't care. He had to go to him. He slept the afternoon away and rose with the darkness. He dressed warmer, the cloud cover and wind combining with the constant drizzle making it wintery and cool, and headed down to the dock. He motored out of the bay quietly and hoped that Baekhyun and Chanyeol weren't nosying out their window.

 

He used his compass to make sure he stayed on the right path. The cloud cover was thick and hid the moon. He could tell it was full, he could see the glow, but without the assistance of the stars he had to be sure he was right. When he was sure it was the right spot he dropped his anchor, settled down on the deck, and waited.

 

He didn't have to wait for long. A splash was heard, then another, and he looked over the side of the boat. Glowing scales, lit with their own organic luminescence, could be seen a little way off. Jongdae waved and watched the scales disappear under the water. They reappeared right next to the boat a few seconds later and Jongdae smiled down at the beautiful gentle face of Minseok in the black water. "Hi." He said softly and Minseok held his hand out. "Help me up." He said grabbing onto Jongdae's forearm. Jongdae leaned down and silently thanked the heavy nets he had been hauling for the last ten years as he reached down for Minseok' s other arm.

 

His feet slipped a little on the damp deck as he pulled Minseok up towards him. He grabbed him under the arms and soon the creature was being lifted over the rail and onto the deck. His tail glittered in the darkness, glowing under the light on the boat, and he grinned up at Jongdae from the deck. "I can feel it Jongdae." He said happily. "The moon is enough! I will be able to change!"

 

His face began to twist in discomfort and Jongdae suddenly worried that he was in pain. But the change was quick and before Jongdae could register what was happening Minseok was bare in front of him. His tail was legs, his scales were gone, his fins receded into his flawless milky skin. But his smile remained, the beautiful smile that had Jongdae so smitten, and he stood up awkwardly holding to the rail of the boat for support.

 

Jongdae held his arms out and Minseok let go of the rail. He fell into Jongdae's embrace and laughed a little as he let his strong arms hold him up. "It's hard to remember how legs work." He giggled. "Let's go sit inside then." Jongdae said as he helped him into the boat's cabin and out of the rain.


	10. Chapter 10

 

 

 

 

 

Jongdae felt awkward again and the blush crept across his cheeks. "Do you want to cover yourself?" he asked the naked man in his cabin and the other just smiled. "I forget what it's like to be a man and have to cover up." He said as he grabbed a blanket from the little bed in the cabin. "Being bare doesn't bother me but if it makes you uncomfortable then I will." He casually tossed the blanket over his naked lower body but it didn't cover much. Jongdae couldn't help but stare.

 

"So." The merling man intiated the conversation as Jongdae was uncharacteristically speechless. "Tell me about life on land Jongdae. I feel like there are things I want to remember." Jongdae cleared his throat and began.

 

"I love to fish and be out on the water. When I'm not working I like to swim. I go to a little bay, over further from the main inlet, and I swim alone. I like to hang out with my friends at their café where we eat toast and cakes and drink coffee. That's pretty much it." Minsoek was eyeing him with curiousity. "Your life sounds wonderful." Minseok said. "Tell me – are your brothers good to you?" Jongdae was confused but he realised Minsoek was talking about his friends. "Yes they are. If it wasn't for them I would be lonely...."

 

"Are you lonely Jongdae? You don't have someone who keeps your bed warm at night?" Minsoek asked quietly and Jongdae shook his head. "No. My friends, Baekhyun and Chanyeol, they're so lucky. They have each other. I do wish I had someone even just to talk to..." "Like this?" Minsoek grinned wide and bright and Jongdae smiled back. "Exactly like this." He said with conviction.

 

"Can you tell me about your life under the ocean?" Jongdae asked and Minsoek nodded. "I'm happy but I do miss land sometimes. My brothers think this is strange. They tell me I shoudn't crave the company of men but I cant forget about you." His lack of self consciousness was both confronting and inspiring to Jongdae. The merling said exactly what was on his mind with no second thought.

 

"I used to be a man but I was a disappointment. My family would have loved a son like you, wild and brave, with an affinity for the ocean." He sighed sadly and Jongde instinctively reached for his hand and squeezed it. "Jongdae I was afraid of the ocean until the moon called me to her. She called me and claimed me and now I love the water." He sighed again. "But I miss some things. Cake and coffee. The comfort of a warm soft bed. Someone to love." His eyes took on a faraway quality and Jondgae felt himself moving closer.

 

"What about your brothers?" Jongdae whispered. He had never before felt like quiet was so important but the night was still and every word Minsoek said had him hanging on for the next. "There's no one for me. Yixing says I will know my mate when I find him but....." he trailed off and turned to the sky outside the cabin window. "I feel like it's you but how can it be?"

 

A month ago if someone told Jongdae he could fall in love with someone in one night he would have said they were crazy. He didn't believe in love at first sight. He always thought love, like everything else in life, was something to be earned and worked for. Something to be cultivated over time and shared memories. But here in the shadow of midnight, the moon finally breaking through the heavy cloud, Jongdae fell in love with a beautifully sad creature caught between two worlds.

 

"Can you come again tomorrow night?" Jongdae whispered. "I'll bring you coffee and cake. What's your favorite kind?" he asked and they drew closer. "Vanilla sponge with jam and cream." Minseok said definitively and in that moment Jongdae knew he would give him the world if he could. He would come every time the moon was full and bring Minsoek all the comforts of the human world he missed. He would bring fluffy blankets and wrap him in them and let him feel the comforts of a cozy bed. He would bring whatever food he wanted, he would bring coffee and cake and anything he asked for, and he hoped he could also be someone to love.

 

Even if it was only when the moon was full.

 

He searched the man's face for clues as to what to do next. The glittering scale down the sides was gone, replaced by smooth clear skin as pale and flawless as fresh poured cream. His features became more human the longer he was out of the water and Jongdae couldn't help noticing his strong shoulders, his muscular chest and hard stomach, his beautifully sculpted arms. He remembered the other was bare under the skimpy concealment of the thin blanket and he shifted awkwardly as he tried to hide the beginnings of a hardness inside his shorts at the sight of this beautiful naked man.

 

"You want me." Minseok said as he shifted his body closer. "I know you do Jongdae. I can feel it in the air between us." Jongdae silently cursed himself for falling for a creature with unearthly perception. He looked into Minseok's eyes and nodded. It was no use trying to hide anything from the other.

 

"It's okay." Minseok reassured him gently as he stroked his thigh. "I want you too. But humans like to do this waiting thing. Right?" His eyes almost glowed with excitement as Jongdae nodded. "Yes." He said as he took a deep breath. He wanted to love Minseok but in the right way. A creature like this deserved to be worshipped and spoilt and Jongdae wanted it to be special.

 

"Can you please come again tomorrow night?" Jongdae asked in a low hush and Minseok smiled gently. "I will. But I want something from you." He said and drew Jongdae's body against his. As the boat bobbed on the waves and the moonshine danced across the black water Minseok kissed Jongdae. He kissed him slowly and gently at first but he had a hunger inside him and deepened the kiss. His tongue explored every inch of Jongdae's mouth and it still wasn't enough. Yixing was right. Jongdae was his mate and as soon as their tongues tangled together in the darkness he knew.

 

Breathless and hungry for more, the two men kissed harder, Minseok moaning a little into the kiss. He wanted to throw the blanket to the floor and climb onto Jongdae's lap but he showed restraint and pulled away.

 

"Beautiful." He murmured when they broke apart and he stroked Jongdae's jawline with his fingertips before chasing them with his lips.

 

"I'll come again tomorrow." He said as he got up and dropped his blanket. Jongdae had tried to hide his excitement but Minseok made no such effort as he let the blanket fall to the floor and his erection stood hard against his body. "Wait for me in the moonlight." He said as he dropped over the side of the boat and with a loud splash he was gone again.


	11. Chapter 11

 

 

 

Minseok slipped into the water and began to swim. He felt his presence before he even saw him and soon Yixing was swimming beside him full of quiet anger.

 

"You went to the surface again." Yixing frowned as he stared Minseok down. "Yes I did," the other said defiantly. Yixing just shook his head. The King wouldn't like this at all and Yixing hated the King being mad. He knew the King was his mate and had always known since the first time he saw him but he was holding back from making their match official. Yixing was desperate to please him and bringing this unruly new merling into line would make his lover happy.

 

"You cant be doing this Minseok." He frowned as they swam away from the open water and closer to the reef. "I can and I will Yixing. He's my mate." Minseok said defiantly and Yixing stopped swimming and turned to him in fear. "He can't be. He's a man Minseok. He's not one of us." Minseok slowed but didn't stop and Yixing had to catch up with him. "I don't care. He's my mate. I know." Minseok said. "Maybe the moon took me by mistake. Maybe something went wrong somewhere, maybe I still need time to adjust, maybe the moon has other plans for me. But I know." Minseok was definite. He turned to Yixing as they swam. "You knew didn't you? That he was yours and you were his?" Yixing nodded sadly. "So why are you not officaly mated?" Minseok felt a little bad using his brother's situation to deflect from his own. Sadness crossed Yixing's face as he realised he didn't know exactly why. "I don't know. I sometimes wonder if he thinks I'm not worthy of being by the side of a King." Yixing's swimming slowed down and Minseok reached out for him. He held his hand tight as they swam slower, their pace receeding as the reef loomed overhead.

 

"You need to talk to him." Minseok said and Yixing nodded. He knew he did but he was afraid to hear the answers to the questions he had. He tried so hard to be the best merling he could be, healing and guiding, and always following the rules. Hearing that his mate didn't see him as worthy would crush him and he just wasn't ready.

 

"What are you going to do?" Yixing asked Minsoek who just smiled at him with a mixture of defiance and joy. "I'm going to keep seeing him Yixing. Maybe the moon made a mistake. Maybe she can turn me back." "We can't lose another brother Minseok." Yixing trembled at the thought. There were so few of them already. They needed him and couldn't bear to lose another. Minseok suddenly turned to Yixing with light in his eyes. "What about if we get the others back?" He asked and Yixing shivered. "But how?" he asked. The idea was exciting. If he could bring their lost brothers home then surely Junmyeon would have to see him as a worthy mate.

 

Minseok swam in little circles as his excitement built. "I don't know but I'll think of something. We have to at least try. And if we could bring them home then everything would work out!" he was suddenly giddy with the thought. "You will have your mate and Sehun's will come home to him! There will be eight of you then and there's only six now so surely I could ask the moon to send me back...." Minseok mind wandered to a distant memory of warm sand and bright sun, of laughter and coffee, of sleeping between crisp sheets. "Maybe I can ask the moon if I can go home."

 

"I don't want you to go. This is your home." Yixing whispered as they neared the reef. "Yixing, Jongdae is my home, I know he's my mate. I can feel it when we are together and I can feel it when we are apart. It is meant to be and it will be," he said as they slipped into the Kingdom of the Merling King and hoped no one noticed how long they had been gone.

 

 

=

 

 

Jongdae woke up and rubbed his head. He felt hungover even though he hadn't drank. The broken and scant sleep was starting to affect him but he still felt warm inside with the feeling of Minsoek in his arms. He was already excited about meeting him tonight and he had arrangemets to make.

 

He started by cleaning the boat top to bottom although he realised the merling probably took no notice of the cleanliness of the surroundings. It didn't seem like something that the beautiful creature would find important.

 

He tidied the cabin and went home before returning with clean cotton sheets, a thick woollen blanket, a soft fluffy one, and a thick winter feather quilt and some pillows. He looked up and noticed Chanyeol eyeing him with curiosity from the dock but when their eyes met he just gave Jongdae a knowing smile.

 

"Someone's got a date tonight!" a booming deep baritone right behind him shook Jongdae and made him jump. "Chanyeol you scared me!" he said as he dropped the blankets on the bed in the cabin. "And yes. Kind of." Jongdae blushed and Chanyeol laughed. "You couldn't think of somewhere nicer to have a date than on your boat? You're a weird little man Jongdae and your boyfriend must be too!" Jongdae shook his head a little as he neatened up the cabin under Chanyeol's curious gaze. "You have no idea," he mumbled.

 

"Ok so help me." Jongdae said as he arranged the inside of the cabin. "Baekhyun's spoilt and you make him happy. So share your secrets Chanyeol. Spill!" Jongdae laughed and Chanyeol did too. "No way man. My tricks of the trade are not to be shared!" he laughed and Jongdae climbed on the bed and hit him with a pillow making the big man stumble around in the tiny cabin. "Don't break the place you clumsy giant!" Jongdae shrieked and they both laughed until they were breathless.

 

"It's easy." Chanyeol said. "Just listen to him. Take notice of the things he says and the things that he likes. And remember and make sure he sees that you remember." Chanyeol turned suddenly and uncharacteristically serious and smiled at his friend as he patted his shoulder comfortingly. "You seem happier than you have in a long time. It's good Jongdae." He said and turned towards the door. "Just make him feel like the only man in the world that you'll ever want and he'll believe it."

 

An hour later with the cabin stocked full Jongdae had one last job. He walked up the little hill to the café and was greeted with a smiling Baekhyun holding a white box. He opened it and grinned when he saw the cake inside. Vanilla sponge, layered and filled with strawberry jam and fresh cream, decorated with little chocolate hearts and a dusting of powdered sugar. It was perfect.


	12. Chapter 12

 

 

 

Jongdae leaned over the side of the boat and helped Minseok up again. He wasn't as fearful this time as he watched him change and he didn't tear his eyes away like the night before. He watched the glimmer of mist and magic form around Minseok tail as it split and changed and the moment that the legs formed but the scales remained made him hold his breath. Everything shimmered and sparkled for a brief moment but it took a little longer than the night before.

 

"I won't be able to change tomorrow night." Minseok said softly. "Lucky I came tonight." He looked confused for a second as Jongdae handed him a pair of loose black shorts but then he smiled as he realised what Jongdae was asking for. "Sorry." He chuckled a little. "I forgot about being bare." He slipped the shorts on and Jongdae's eyes could relax without being terrified of where to look. He felt suddenly shy as the merling walked on unsteady legs around the boat.

 

Jongdae thought he might have gone to too much trouble and blushed as the merling looked over the little picnic he had set up on the deck. A thick blanket was laid out with the white box in the middle, a thermos of hot coffee and a little bunch of flowers completing the scene, lit by the blue light of a safety lamp. "I wanted candles but, you know, fire on a boat is a pretty scary thing...." Jongdae's bashfulness was threatening to take over but the merling just smiled widely and joyfully at him. "You did all this for me?" The wonder that filled his face was incredible.

 

"Yes." Jongdae answered and sat, indicating for the merling to join him, and he did. Jongdae handed him a mug of sweet milky coffee and watched him take a big sip and screw his face up comedically. "It's hot!" Minseok exclaimed and Jongdae laughed. "Well slow down." He said and sipped his own slowly. No one spoke as the merling was enraputered with the warm milky liquid and Jongdae was enraptured with his reaction. He leaned over and flipped the lid on the box and when Minseok saw the cake tears filled his eyes. "Vanilla sponge? You remembered?" Jongdae was taken aback when Minseok leaned across the rug and hugged him tightly, knocking the lamp over in the process, justifying Jongdae's lack of candles. "You're welcome." Was all he could reply.

 

Jongdae had never been on a date before. He didn't know if he was laughing too loudly, talking too much, eating too much. But he did know that every time he laughed Minesok did too. Every time he spoke Minseok listened and laughed and his eyes sparkled in the lamplight. The longer they sat and spoke the more human Minseok seemed to become before him and after a few hours of shared chatter Jongdae almost forgot what he was. Almost forgot that soon Minseok would have to disappear below the murky depths of the cold dark ocean and swim away.

 

The thought was a little saddening and he covered his sudden emotions by stuffing a huge bite of cake into his mouth. He chewed with difficutly, his cheeks puffing out like a chipmunk, and as he felt eyes on him he turned to face Minseok. The merling man was watching  him with delighted curiousity and when he finally swallowed the cake Minseok leaned over and kissed him.

 

The world was forgotten as they kissed in the darkness. The languid rise and fall of the boat on the ocean waves was lost in the rise and fall of their heaving chests as they kissed harder and deeper and Jongdae felt Minseok's tongue in his mouth. It tasted of coffee and cream and a little of salt and his tongue felt cool against Jongdae's own hot skin.

 

Breathless and wordless, they broke apart, and by the glow of the dim safety lamp Jongdae couldn't help but smile. Minseok was even more like a man now and his cheeks were ruddy and pink with the cool breeze. His dark hair blew softly in the breeze and Jongdae reached out a hand to gently finger the strings of treasure he wore woven through the silky black strands. Pearls and shells reflected the lamplight and the strings matched the one he still wore tied with leather around his wrist. "You're wearing your gift," he said and Minseok reached up and pulled a strand of pearls from the longest part of his hair near the top of his head. The rough braided cord was adorned with shining pearls and shells in shades of pink and white and grey and Minseok leaned over and tied the ends behind Jongdae's neck "A gift in return. A proper gift." Jongdae's fingers traced the pearls with his fingers and it felt both delicate and strong, and comforting in a strange way, like it had some sort of magical power within.

 

Minseok shivered again and goosebumps covered his bare upper body. "Do you want to go inside where it's warm?" Jongdae swallowed his nerves and tried to calm his swiftly beating heart. He was sure this magical perceptive creature could tell how nervous he was. And Minseok was perceptive, enough to take the lead, and he grabbed Jongdae's hand and pulled him into the tiny cabin of the boat. The bed inside was bigger than a single but not quite a double and was covered in fresh cotton sheets. "Wow..." Minseok breathed out heavily as he felt the soft fabric between his fingers and suddenly dived inside.

 

He reached out and pulled Jongdae down beside him and they snuggled under the blankets together. "How do you sleep?" Jongdae asked and Minseok smiled. "In a nest of soft seaweed. I share with my brother Yixing. I'm alone and he hasn't been accepted by his mate yet.... but at least we have each other." Minseok seemed sad about this and Jongdae wanted to question him but thought he better not. He imagined the two curled up together like little snakes huddled for warmth and shivered a little. It didn't sound very comfortable.

 

"My friend is....... troubled." Minseok began and stopped but Jondage squeezed his hand under the blanket. "You can share your worries with me...." He said although he felt awkward and shy but Minseok smiled and continued. "My friend isn't accepted by his mate. His mate is the King and Yixing loves him so much. He knows they are mates but Junmyeon hasn't officially accepted him." Minseok sighed deeply as tears of empathy filled his ink black eyes. "We want to try and rescue our lost brothers. Yixing thinks it might raise his worth in Junmyeon's eyes..." Minsoek curled close to Jongdae and put his head on the other's chest. "And me...." He whispered softly as he enjoyed the soft warmth and comfort. "I want to save them so I can ask the moon if I can come home.... To land..."

 

The words surprised Jongdae. He loved the ocean more than anything and he couldn't imagine giving up a magical life underwater to return to the bland daily life above. But Minseok leaned up and stared into his eyes with such ferocity that it almost made Jongdae a little afraid. "How can I live underwater when my mate walks on land?"


	13. Chapter 13

 

The warmth of the bed made the coolness of Minseoks skin even more noticeable. Jongdae felt inescapably drawn into Minseoks body and he just couldn't resist. His hands reached out to feel Minseok's soft white skin and it made him feel like he was on fire.

 

 

_My mate..._

 

 

It sounded so right and so natural. He knew that the dating rules of his own society valued waiting, for the right moment and the right time, and that rushing into things was frowned upon. But, technically, although this was their first official date, it was actually kind of their third. Jongdae let his hands wander Minseoks back as he pulled him close and let the merling settle against his chest.

 

He resigned himself to contentment with the current situation but Minseok has no such reservations. His cold hands began to wander, not innocently like Jongdae's, but with a different intention. They ran up the inside of Jongdae's shirt, feeling every inch of his body, his chest and stomach hard and muscled from his daily labour. Goosebumps sprang up in the wake of his chilly touch and his eyes met Jongdae's with a cold fire burning bright with intensity.

 

"Please. I don't want to waste this night." Minseok whispered. "I remember what it feels like to be a man, to have desires, to crave release. Do you desire me Jongdae?" His deep dark eyes were pits of sable as Jongdae tried to swallow that thickness in his throat. He nodded his agreement and Minseok smiled.

 

"Then let me love you. I won't be able to change again for almost a month. Can you wait that long?" Minseok rolled on top of Jongdae and rolled his hips and smiled when the younger moaned aloud. "See how good I can make you feel...." Jongdae's eyes rolled back in his head as Minseok's sinful hips rolled against him again. "The rules of Man don't apply to us...." his lips ghosted hot breath down Jongdae's neck and when his teeth, surprisingly sharp, nipped at his skin Jongdae lost control.

 

He wrapped Minseok in a tight embrace and rolled them, his mouth hungrily finding every taste of skin it could, enjoying the salty taste of Minseok's cool neck. "Are you sure?" Jongdae couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness from his subconscious. Society had raised him with shame, with the need to be embarrassed of his sexuality, with pleasure carrying the baggage of guilt. But Minseok was right. Out here on the ocean with no one to judge them besides the moon and the stars the laws of Man didn't matter.

 

Jongdae sat back and shed his shirt quickly, followed by his shorts and briefs, tugging at the shorts he'd lent Minseok for his own comfort. The gentle rolling of the boat and the sound of waves broke the still silence as the naked man and the naked merling kissed slowly and deeply and softly.

 

The waves crashed in the background with a deafening silence as Jongdae let his lips wander. They traveled down Minseok's neck, across his smooth hairless chest, down to his prominent row of hard abs. Jongdae gripped Minseok's hip bones and squeezed a little and was delighted when the merling giggled. His magical laughter cut through the seriousness that lingered over them and Jongdae's heart felt light and free at the sound.

 

"Can I ask one thing of you?" Minseok asked and Jongdae nodded his agreement. In that moment he would give anything Minseok asked of him. "Can we go back outside? I want to feel the moonlight on my skin."

 

With one hand clutching at Minseok and the other full of the thick blankets Jongdae led him out onto the deck. He tossed the blankets onto the wood and they fell onto them in a wild tangle of bare skin and gentle laughter.

 

"Touch me." Minseok begged as Jongdae laid beside him. "Don't be scared. I'm not a man Jongdae and you won't hurt me." His eyes begged Jongdae for pleasure and the man caught up in his sudden shyness was at a loss. Minseok took his hand and put it between his legs. "Don't you want to be inside me? Don't you want to know what it feels like?" Minseok reached out and grabbed Jongdae's erection and the feeling of his cold hands on soft skin made Jongdae cry out aloud.

 

He did want to know what it would feel like. He sighed as he closed his eyes and gave in to the feeling of Minseok stroking him slowly and gently. It was incredible, enough to bring tears of pleasure to his eyes, and he felt his reluctance wavering.

 

He grabbed Minseok's erection and began to stroke him as well. Minseok tossed his head back and moaned unselfconsciously and it was more erotic than anything even beyond Jongdae's imagination. He watched in fascination and arousal as he stroked the length of Minseok's hard cock and the merling writhed and groaned with pure pleasure. "It feels good Jongdae..." he moaned as he began to thrust against Jongdae's hand. "It makes me feel almost human again..."

 

And in that moment Jongdae wanted him more than anything. More than he ever thought he could want something.

 

He moved his hand down to tease around Minseok's hole and found him eager and strangely wet. He pushed a finger inside and Minseok moaned again and rode down hard against his hand. When Jongdae pushed a second inside him he tried to be gentle but Minseok just spread his legs wide and lifted his knees higher.

 

 

Jongdae stopped and settled between Minseok's legs. He looked down at the beautiful creature beneath him. He could almost forget he was a being of magic until he remembered the pearls in his hair and the salty taste of his skin. And when he pushed his cock inside him he remembered all over again. Minseok was tight but seemed untroubled by pain, he was wet inside, and strangest of all he was cool. The inside of his body was as cool as the inside of his mouth when they exchanged kisses under the dark gaze of the moon.

 

The sensation of Jongdae's heat inside Minseoks cool body was incredible for both of them. "You feel so warm inside me..." Minseok gasped as Jongdae began to thrust. Despite his cool body temperature Minseok began to sweat and perfect beads of moisture formed on his brow. He lifted his hips to meet Jongdae's slow sensual thrusts and turned his face towards the black night sky.

 

 

Jongdae lost himself in the sensation of cold against hot, the feeling of coolness encasing his warm erection, the taste of salt on soft white skin. He thrust harder and felt himself on the edge, he wrapped his hand around Minseok's cock and pumped it gently, trying to slow the roll of his hips. After what seemed like both a second and forever he felt Minseok tense up underneath him before shuddering in pleasure. Minseok's orgasm was intense but quiet and, Jongdae marvelled, dry. He orgasmed but he didn't cum.

 

But Jongdae did. He grunted and thrust, he panted for air, and he came harder than he ever thought possible. His hot cum filled Minseok as he rode out his peak and finally fell still and silent as he slipped out of Minseok's body.

 

He laid in stunned silence as he stared at the stars. The moon was dropping and there was a feint glow of orange just crawling up from the ocean to the east. He felt fingers lace with his and he knew Minseok was right.

 

How could he live his life on land knowing that his mate was under the cold black ocean?

 

Minseok rolled over and nestled against Jongdae's chest and listened to his heartbeat. It felt so good and so warm and he just wanted to stay like this for a little longer. But the moon had other ideas and her rhythmic dance across the sky waited for no one. Minseok's face twisted in discomfort and Jongdae panicked. "Did I hurt you?" He searched Minseok's face and the merling shook his head. "No. You made me feel wonderful and loved and so warm Jongdae. But I have to get back in the water before the sun comes up."

 

Jongdae sighed sadly. He knew it would be too long before they could be together again. "I'll meet you here in seven days. I know you won't be able to change but I can't wait that long." Minseok nodded as he stood and his knees buckled. Jongdae jumped up to help him and held him one last time.

 

"Seven days." He whispered softly and Minseok nodded. "I'll be here," he said before dropping over the side of the boat.

 

And into the void of the deep black ocean he disappeared with a flick of his iridescent tail.

 


	14. Chapter 14

 

 

 

 

Sunlight sparkled off the water. The clouds of the last few days had cleared and the breeze blew gently across the bay as Jongdae scrubbed his deck. He'd been out very early, returned with a big haul, and had turned it in to the wharfmaster for an excellent price.

 

He was sweating as he worked and with the sun high in the sky he tore his shirt off and tossed it aside. The treasure around his neck glittered and shone with a lustre and a sheen almost unearthly as his body moved with strength and grace while he moved with sure feet around the rolling boat. He smiled to himself as he worked and he looked up to see his friend watching him with amusement. He blushed a little and looked back down at his work, gently cleansing and scrubbing the wood, keeping the boat clean and in perfect condition.

 

When his work was done he made his way along the wharf to the dirt path and up to his home. It was a little messier than usual but Jongdae felt himself often distracted from the mundane necessities of his land locked life. Dishes and mopping weren't important. All he could think about was counting down the days until he could see Minsoek again. Swimming at night had never bothered him, he was no more afraid of the water in the dark than in the light, but it irritated him that the only way he could see Minsoek for the next few weeks was in the inky black cold of night ocean. He stripped and showered leaving the necklace on. He never took it off. It seemed impervious to the effects of water and somehow never pressed painfully into his skin. Even when he slpet. It felt good, like it was made for him, and he never wanted to take it off.

 

Once he was dressed he made his way down to the café. He walked in to find it surprisingly full.  Tourism season didn't start for a good six weeks and the town's population was swelling early. It made Jongdae shake his head a little. He loved his friend having a full and healthy business but he didn't love the tourists stamping all over his quiet little beaches and sunbaking on the wharves and docks where he was trying to work.

 

Jongdae looked around and quickly cleared a few tables for Baekhyun, taking the rubbish to the bin, and the dishes out the back to the kitchen. He came back out with a cloth and washed down the tables to the grateful smile of his friend behind the counter. "Thanks." Baekhyun said as he turned to make coffee. "Anytime." Jongdae replied.

 

He busied himself in the café and helped his friend until the late lunch rush died down. Instead of taking up a table Jongdae made his own lunch out the back and sat on the bench to eat his sandwiches. When Baekhyun finally had a chance he slipped out into the kitchen and grabbed Jongdae by the shirt, pulling the neckline down, before gasping in surprise. "What. Is. THAT?" he said. "Chanyeol text me and said to check out your necklace. Jongdae....." Baekhyun sighed. "You tell me you found that on the beach and I'll kill you with my bare hands."

"It was a gift." Jongdae said softly as he avoided Baekhyun's eyes. "So this mystery man. Is he a jeweller? Is he a pearl diver?" Baekhyun was only half joking and Jongdae knew. "No. He's ...." He trailed off as he tried to search for words which would satisfy his friend. "He just likes beachcombing as a hobby. And he has a knack for finding little treasures. He knows where to look."

 

"So when can we meet him?" Baekhyun wandered around the kitchen as he kept his eye on the empty café. He knew any minute the door would swing open and his giant of a boyfriend would be inside the café, wanting fed, taking up space with his big shoulders and booming laugh. "It's complicated." Jongdae sighed. "I can't see him for a little while." Baekhyun turned to him with eyes wide open with fear and shock. "He's not underage is he? Oh God please tell me he's not a married man Jongdae."

 

Jongdae laughed at that and slipped off the counter as he helped Baekhyun make some Chanyeol sized sandwiches and a big pot of tea. "He's not married. He's not underage. He's an adult. It's just complicated, he had family problems, and he lives far away." Jongdae's eyes turned wistful as he remembered their wonderful date just a few nights ago. He could remember every minute as if it was yesterday. It also felt like it was  a million years ago.

 

"I hope you'lll get to meet him one day Baek." Jongdae smled as the door flew open and Chanyeol made his entrance. "Miss me?" His loud voice filled the air and made Baekhyun skip with glee out the kitchen and into his lover's arms. And Jongdae could only watch them with a little envy as all he had were his memories.

 

 

･ﾟ｡.☆.*｡･ﾟ✫* .✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.☆.*｡･ﾟ✫*. .✫･ﾟ｡.☆.*｡･ﾟ✫*

 

 

 

 

Under the ocean Minseok was delirious. He wa almost giddy with excitement and swam around in circles, gathering treasure like a little bower bird, stashing piles of pearls and little shells near his nest. He gently placed a beautiful shiny black shell he'd found that morning and replaced the pile of seaweed over the top of his caché. Jongdae had been so happy with his gift that Minseok wanted to make sure next time his hair would be full of treasures to give him.

 

 

He widened his eyes when Yixing approached. He looked absolutely crestfallen and his eyes were red. "What's wrong?" He held his arms out and Yixing fell into them. "The King is mad at me. He said I'm not watching you well enough." Yixing sank against Minseok's body and the older held him tight. "I need to show him." Yixing sniffed. "We need to do something so I can show him I'm worthy."

 

Minseok ran his fingers through the soft dark hair littered with tiny pearls. Yixing's sadness was melting into Minseok's soul. Their bond as brothers had well and truly formed now and as they held each other in the dark water they shared a moment of sadness and hope.

 

"I'll come up with something." Minseok said. "I'm going to see Jongdae again in a few nights. I'll ask him what he thinks we should do."

 

Yixing just nodded as he thought of how risky it was. Every time Minseok wandered from home Junmyeon became more disappointed in Yixing's care of his new brother. But Yixing couldn't deny Minseok his mate and he knew they had already bonded. He also knew if he told Junmyeon that Minseok had mated and bonded with a man they would never be allowed out of his sight.

 

He had no choice but to help Minseok continue to see Jongdae. And he had to hope they could come up with a plan because his own happiness had never seemed further out of reach.


	15. Chapter 15

 

 

 

Minseok flicked his tail while he waited impatiently. It always lurked in the back of his mind that Jongdae might not come. A mate you can only mate with two nights out of twenty eight seemed like a troublesome arrangement for a human. It was troublesome enough for Minseok. But while his heart yearned for Jongdae's company, his eyes longed to wash over his mate's beauty, and his arms ached to hold him tight Minseok realised being a merling had an advantage. When he had his tail he didn't have the primal urges of a man and it was a relief.

 

A pod of dolphins had kept him company on most of the swim over to their meeting place. Minseok longed to bring Yixing to meet his mate and decided he would ask him. He knew Jongdae would agree though, he swam happily in circles, knowing his mate would do anything to please him. He knew that once Yixing saw them together he would understand their bond and how strong their feelings were. It was something he couldn't explain to Yixing. He had to show him.

 

 

Finally Minseok saw the light off in the distance growing closer. His heart fluttered and his face broke into a grin as he swam towards the boat. When it slowed down and he heard the engine turn off and the anchor splash he knew it was safe. "Dae!" He called out, his voice strong and clear, rippling through the still night like a pebble into a pond. He saw Jongdae drop over the side of the boat and swim towards him and when they finally met he was in his mate's arms.

 

"I missed you..." Jongdae said as he pressed their lips together in a cold and salty kiss. The ocean seemed to invade every fibre of their being as they kissed and to Jongdae's surprise when Minseok held him he didn't have to fight the water. He felt weightless, his swimming was effortless, the water comforting and warm. He lost himself in his lover's arms and their kiss seemed to go on forever before they broke apart. Jongdae was breathless but Minseok had the advantage of water to help feed oxygen into his blood. But in that singular moment, their bodies rolling gently with the ebb and flow, nothing to see them but the moon overhead Jongdae knew. He knew he would give himself over to the black waves and drown if it meant losing his breath in Minseok's warm embrace.

 

 

The urge Minseok thought was negated by his tail wasn't. As they kissed in the darkness he let his mouth wander down the side of Jongdae's neck, tasting the salt and sunlight on his skin, enjoying the warmth of flesh under his cold tongue. Jongdae whimpered a little and the noise made him want to keep going but he couldn't. He sighed and pulled away a little bit but held on to Jongdae so he could float. "I'm sorry..." he whispered and Jongdae eyed him curiously. "For what?" His voice was concerned and Minseok was grateful for the darkness that hid his embarrassment. "For what I am." Minseok said and he felt tension ripple thought Jongdae's body.

 

 

"Don't ever be sorry." Jongdae said fiercely. "What you are is beautiful and special." "But I can't give you what you need. You know..." Minseok dropped his gaze in shame and Jongdae pulled closer in the cold dark water. "All I need is to see you. Be near you...." Jongdae let his lips press gently into Minsoek's cheek scaled in green and pink and pearl. His kiss was a whisper, barely there, but more than enough and the emotions behind it were palpable.

 

 

Minseok felt the sting of tears prick his eyes and it felt strange. Like his sexual urges his need to cry should also be fading. Maybe he just hadn't fully adjusted to his transformation. Or maybe Jongdae was keeping his link to his human self alive. Either way it gave Minseok a strange sort of comfort to know that his thread of humanity remained in his heart. It felt good.

 

"I can't stay here too long like this." Jongdae was wistful but it was true. Minseoks embrace fed him a false sense of security but the pitch black water of after midnight was no safe place for a man. "I need advice before you go..." Minseok said. He explained a little more about their lost brothers and Jongdae listened before thinking. "Minseok I would retrace their steps. Start by going to the last place they were known to be." Minseok nodded. It was a good idea. "Minseok can you meet in the daytime?" Jongdae asked and the merlingthought before nodding. It was risky as he might be seen but if Jongdae wanted something he wouldn't refuse him. "Yes. I can't change in the light but I can meet you. I'm not nocturnal." He smiled when he wondered what Jongdae had planned. "In three days time meet me here at dawn and I'll take you somewhere where you will be safe and no one will see us." He said softly as he pulled Minseok close.

 

When it was past time to seperate they drew away reluctantly. Minseok pulled another string of treasure from his hair and was delighted when Jongdae grinned. "Thank you Minseok. Would you be hurt if I gave this one away? To a friend?" Minseok chewed his bottom lip and shook his head. "Of course not. It's given to you freely and without condition. If it makes you happy to give it away them I'm happy. But I would like to meet this friend one day. And I want you to meet my brother as well."

 

Jongdae left Minseok with one last lingering kiss. "Next time we meet here can it be at dawn?" He asked and Minseok nodded. "I want to show you a place that makes me happy." He would risk the daylight

 

Minseok dived deep and disappeared and Jongdae climbed back onto his boat. The moon was dropping in its crescent glory, shining brightly at half strength, and he shivered in the cool breeze. He changed into dry clothes, hitched his anchor, and turned for home.

 

And Minseok dived deep and swam fast, his tail shimmered as he sped along under the ocean, and he smiled to himself as the taste of Jongdae's kiss lingered on his lips. At least he had the beginnings of a plan now. He just had to organise it with Yixing.


	16. Chapter 16

 

 

"Yixing..." Minseok woke his sleepy friend curled up in the soft seaweed nest they shared. Dawn was breaking above the surface but the rays didn't penetrate below. Day or night, it was all the same to the little family below the waves, they slept and ate and explored as they wished. "Yixing I have an idea...." He shook the beautiful creature from his slumber and laughed as he rubbed his sleepy eyes awake. "Jongdae gave it to me. The idea. We need to go back to where they were spotted last." "Who?" Yixing asked, confused in his dozy state, and suddenly realised what Minseok was talking about. "Near the deep chasm. There's an underwater mountain range." Yixing said. "There are vents and a scary place that looks like an underwater waterfall." Yixing stretched his long lean tail and it glittered with the light of its own luminescence. A million shades of pink and pearl shimmered across the scaled surface as he waved it under the water and flicked it to swim up to where Minseok was waiting for him.

 

"It will be scary." Yixing shivered a little at the thought. He was a careful merling creature. He lived for nothing more than to collect treasures from the deep and seek his mate's love. But treasure alone wasn't enough to win over the Merling King and Yixing knew this was his best hope of showing his worth. "Kai and Kyungsoo won't come with us. But I think if we tell Sehun he will help." Minseok hadn't heard the wordlessly watchful merling speak since he arrived. He seemed unmoving, never appearing to eat or sleep, his eyes never wavering from his watch.

 

In truth he was terrified of the silent creature who waited for his mate who was never coming home. At first he had summoned all his skill to hide his arrivals and departures from the unmoving watcher of the metaphoric gate but he soon realised Sehun only watched for one merling. The savage creature bathed in red and black that had injured his arm.

 

 

 

The one they used to call Luhan.

 

 

 

Minseok found the deep black depths of the youngest merling's eyes scarier than the unknown depths of the ocean. But he summoned his inner strength and followed Yixing to the entrance to the Merling King's palace. The edge of their boundary, the border of their home, and their place of protection. The King's magic kept all inside safe from harm. They could eat and sleep and relax without being on guard for dangers. But Sehun maintained his place at the edge, his strong thick tail muscular and glittering with metallic beauty, his face a stone cold picture of observation.

 

"Sehun." Yixing whispered at first, and then called out louder as they approached, the merling on the tall rock never moving. "Sehun..... My sweet baby..." Yixing crooned softly to the youngling as he moved in front of him. He put his hands either side of Sehun's face and cradled his cold cheeks and finally elicited a response. "Have you seen him Yixing?" was all he asked and Yixing shook his head.

 

"Minseok has." Yixing said and Minseok moved in front of Sehun's line of sight. "I don't know you." Sehun said softly as his eyes avoided his brothers in front of him to stay trained on the empty black depths behind them. "I'm your brother Sehun." Minseok said sadly. He couldn't help but be caught up in the young merling's pain. He knew how it felt to live separated from your mate. It hurt every minute, with every fibre of his being, and he instinctively reached out to hold the sad merling.

 

"I know how you feel," he said softly as his dark hair waved around his face. "I'm separated from my mate too. It's hard but you're so strong Sehun." He squeezed tighter and felt the his young brother stiffen and then relax. "You've seen him." Sehun murmured at last. "I can feel him on you. But it's all wrong...."

 

"Yes." Minseok said quietly. "I saw him Sehun. But you're right. Something's wrong with him. Come with us and help us to find him. We need to bring him home." Sehun's hands ran lovingly across the thick scaled scar on Minseok's arm and he sighed heavily. The last tangible reminder of his mate remained embedded in the skin of his new brother and it awakened something inside Sehun. Something that everyone thought had faded when their family had been broken apart. "It's my fault he's lost." Sehun said sadly. He wouldn't cry. His humanity was too far faded and left in the past. Sehun had been a merling for a long time despite the ageless youth he exhibited.

 

But Minseok's humanity was alive and burned bright and as he held the young merling he cried for him. He cried salty tears that burned warm trails down his cold white cheeks and he let his emotions flow as freely as the waves that they called home. He held Sehun and cried and felt the younger relax into his arms. "How do you do that?" Sehun asked when Minseok finally stopped. "I don't know. I just do." He said as they broke apart.

 

Yixing looked on with a combination of sadness and pure joy when he saw their baby, the youngest of their brothers, smile for the first time in a long time. Happiness had been gone from Sehun's life for an eternity. He felt pride and warmth spill across his chest when Sehun moved from his rock where he had sat sentient for forever to join his brothers on the edge of their territory. "It's my fault you know." Sehun said. "Luhan was searching for a nautilus shell to bring me. I told him not to go but he went anyway. He risked himself for me, to find something to make me happy, and I never should have let him go."

 

"You weren't to know Sehun." Yixing said as he would their fingers together and squeezed tight. Love and healing flowed through his body and into Sehun and their bond was renewed and refreshed. Minseok grabbed the other hand and let empathy and understanding join their souls. Their connection was forged and they were bonded as brothers at last. "We're going to try and find them Sehun. Come with us." Minseok said. "I've seen them but they're wrong. They're under some kind of spell and we need to rescue them."

 

Sehun turned to Minseok with admiration in his eyes, warming their cold dark depths, showing the truth of the loving merling he was inside. "Then let's go find our brothers." He squeezed both hands of the merlings either side of him and felt stronger than he ever had before. "Let's bring them home."


	17. Chapter 17

 

 

 

Jongdae glowed with the radiance of a midsummer sun as he walked along the dirt path to the café. Dust kicked up around his feet, a sure sign that the warm weather was approaching, and the little bell rang out when he pushed the door. It was surprisingly busy again and he looked around before picking up a tea towel behind the counter and beginning to clean. Baekhyun looked at him gratefully as he busied himself while Baekhyun served the customers and when the rush slowed Jongdae chastised him gently. "Baek. You'll work yourself into the ground. You need help." "The tourist season seems to be early this year." He smiled gently at his friend. "It's just caught me by surprise. I'll hire someone for the lunchtime rush."

 

Jongdae grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the kitchen. "I have something for you." His eyes shone with barely contained delight as he pulled the string of shells and pearls from his pocket and dangled it in front of Baekhyun. "Really?" The delighted man squealed loudly and grabbed at the string. "What is this even made from?" he asked as he examined the wound and braided fibres and the carefully threaded adornments. "Gifts from the ocean." Jongdae smiled warmly as Baekhyun tied the strand around his neck. He'd made his friend happy and that was worth the world to him.

 

"So this guy." Baekhyun smirked as he filled the sink with dishes. "When is he coming around to meet us? Surely he wants our approval." Baekhyun winked at Jongdae's blush. "I told you!" he spoke to loudly, like he always did when he was nervous, "He wants to. I just have to plan it." Jongdae sighed and walked away. He picked up a bag of rubbish from the bin in the corner and headed out to the outside bin with it. He stood in the bright blinding midday sun and debated telling Baekhyun the truth. He knew he could trust him. But would Baekhyun believe him?

 

He wasn't sure.

 

His sigh was heavy as he returned to the kitchen of the little café and packed away the clean dishes for his friend. He wondered what Minseok was doing. He said he wasn't nocturnal so he possibly wasn't sleeping. Was he wandering the ocean floor, searching for more gifts and treasures, was he curled up with his brothers in a cosy nest? Was he racing a pod of dolphins or winding sea grasses into some magnificent piece of craftsmanship? His life under the waves seemed so mysterious and wonderful to Jongdae. It seemed perfect. There was only one thing missing.

 

 

 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

 

 

 

Minseok wandered in front. Sehun was in the middle and Yixing swam at the rear of their expedition team. It had taken them a while to make it to the underwater mountain range where their brothers went missing. When they finally crossed a ridge and swam down into the huge channel Minseok gasped with wonder. It was more amazing than anything he'd ever seen on land. The channel was hundreds of metres wide and maybe even thousands deep. It was dotted and littered with hills and valleys and steam rose from huge natural chimneys and vents made of rock and stone. "What is this place?" he wondered aloud and Sehun shivered a little. "The place where the light never touches." His enthusiasm renewed by their search, Sehun grabbed Minseok's hand and drew him closer, and Yixing clutched at him as well. There was magic here, they could all feel it, and it seemed to be drawing them closer.

 

 

"Down there!" Sehun pulled ahead and the other two swam quickly behind him. They weren't going to let their youngest out of their sight. They swam down to the floor of the underwater valley and into the deep wide chasm and soon they were reliant on their own luminescence to see each other. Sehun was the one drawn the strongest to the deepwater magic pulling them like the current. Yixing was also drawn but Minseok was more concerned with his brothers than the lure of the ancient and ominous spells woven into the caves and crevices. "Wait!" Minseok called out and grabbed Yixing by the arm and he in turn grabbed Sehun. "I can feel him!" Sehun twisted and tried to free himself from Yixing's grip but the older and more experienced melting held him tight.

 

"We need to be careful!" Minseok was afraid. An emotion his brothers seemed to no longer possess. It was his humanity keeping him sane, he held on tightly to the thread of the man that remained inside, and when Sehun tried to break free he was able to chase him. Yixing was slowly being lured like Sehun but not as badly and just when Minseok was going to make them leave this place they saw it.

 

 

A deep red glow from a far off cave. It pulled and pulsed and seemed to breathe with an evil light and magic and Sehun tried to break away again. "He's down there! I can feel him!" He cried out as he tried to swim away towards the cave but Minseok held him tight and began to drag him away. This was wrong and bad and he knew he had to keep them away.

 

He could feel Luhan too. And Yifan and Zitao. All three lost brothers were down there in the evil red magic and if they went down there they would end up the same.

 

"Come on!" Minseok dragged both his brothers by the arms. Sehun resisted but Yixing was more catatonic than defiant and as they began to move further away he seemed to shake out of it. "Minseok what happened?" He asked as he shook his head. "Bad magic," was all Minseok could offer. "Help me." He said as his strength was sapped and Yixing grabbed Sehun's other arm and helped to drag the wriggling merling away from danger.

 

 

When they finally escaped the threatening energy of the chasm Sehun seemed to snap out of it. "I could feel him down there. But I could also feel something else. Something wrong." Minseok held his little brother as he mulled over the fact that Sehun could no longer feel afraid. Sorrow and sadness had bred in his soul but fear had been replaced with a vulnerability to danger.

 

"I need to come back here alone." Minseok said with a finality that surprised even him. "I still have a little of what makes me human and that part of me is immune to the magic," he said as he looked at his brothers. "It didn't affect me the way it affected both of you."

 

 

No one spoke as they swam back home. They all knew Minseok was right. It was the only thing to do. He knew this was his calling, his purpose and his mission, and he would give all he had to try and bring their lost brothers home.

 

But first he wanted to see Jongdae glowing in the radiance of the midday sun, his face turned up to the light, his beautiful skin soaking in all the warmth and care the suns rays had to give. He wanted to see Jongdae laughing, his eyes sparkling, splashing with joy as scattered sunlight danced across soft ocean waves of green and blue and white.

 

He wanted to see Jongdae one last time.


	18. Chapter 18

 

 

The horizon's edge glowed with a fine purple line which soon spilled over into every shade of pink and orange and gilded gold. The warmth of the sun hadn't yet made its way down to the surface of the earth and the waves were as still as glass. It was going to be a beautiful day.

 

 

 

 

Jongdae hugged his thick hoodie tight around his body. The minutes right before the sun broke the horizon were always the coldest of the night and he shivered a little with the anticipation of a beautiful sunrise. He couldn't wait to see the sun edge over the end of the earth with the crescent moon still glowing in the starry sky. It always felt like the time of day when magic hung heavy in the air and anything was possible.

 

 

 

 

He heard a splash break the ambiance and turned to see Minseok waving at him. His skin and scale glowed like fine polished glass in the golden dawn light. He waved back and smiled broadly at the sight of his mate in the water. "Come down!" Minseok called out to him. "I want to share the sunrise with you." It was a request Jongdae couldn't resist. He tossed his clothing onto the deck and although goose bumps pricked all over his naked skin he knew when he made it to Minseok he would be warm.

 

Fear never washed over him as he sat on the side of his boat before dropping like a pin into the water. He let the black embrace him, the icy cold shock tensing his body, his lungs forgetting his need to breathe. He let his body sink a little and for just a moment he wondered what would happen if he let the inky black depths overcome him. Reality checked in and he quickly kicked his feet to the top and when he broke the surface Minseok was on him. "I missed you." He said softly as he moved in closer. Their embrace flooded Jongdae with a comforting warmth and he smiled when he was validated. He knew it would be this warm.

 

Their lips pressed together gently in a kiss broken apart by a smile. "How are things above?" Minseok asked and Jongdae grinned as he clung to the floating merling. "Lonely. I gave my friend the gift and made him very happy. So I'm happy." Jongdae laughed a little too loudly at nighitng. His emotions always overwhelmed him when he was in Minseok's arms and made him act a little out of control. He felt giddy and wondered absentmindedly if you could be drunk on love.

 

_Love......_

 

"Minseok." He said, uncharacteristically quiet and serious as the sun breached the horizon, its glow just beginning to change the colours of the sky. "I think I love you."

 

Love was a human concept. A construction of the human mind, an interplay of the chemicals coursing through the human brain, the conscious and unconscious decision to put one person above all others. But the shred of humanity inside Minseok's heart pulsed strong and alive as he felt warm and soft all over. "I think I love you too," he said and pulled the man closer and they floated together in silence as they watched the sun rise.

 

When the light made its way across the sky they pulled apart. "I want to show you a place." Jongdae said. "I just really want to spend the day with you. Is that okay?" Minseok nodded. He wanted to as well.A perfect day in the sun before he forged ahead with his path of rescue. He wanted to make a precious memory that no one and nothing could ever take away from them. "I'll follow your boat," he said and helped Jongdae over to the side before diving below.

 

 

 

 

 

Jongdae shivered as he pulled his dry clothing over his wet body. Minseok had disappeared beneath the glassy water but he had faith that he could keep up. He started the engine and began to move the boat along the water in the direction of home. As he picked up speed he wondered if Minseok was going to be able to keep up but he saw a flash of grey in the water and looked down to see a pod of dolphins riding his bow waves. He counted three or four playing in the waves the boat was making and wasn't surprised to see flashes of pink and green alongside them. He smiled to himself when he realised Minseok was playing with them in the foam and turbulence of the boat's wake.

 

 

 

 

 

When he spotted the bay ahead he changed his course a little. Jongdae's favourite swimming spot, the secluded little patch of beach no one ever went to, was a little to the side of the main entry to the bay. He slowed his boat and dropped anchor offshore, his years of experience letting him know how close he could get while avoiding the reef below, and he let the boat settle before looking over the side.

 

He saw Minseok's head pop up and grinned. As he shed his clothing again Jongdae briefly felt sad at his dry and boring life. He used to love the boat and the sand, the wind in his hair, but now it all felt empty and lonely. The only time he felt complete was when he had Minseok in his arms. He dropped his hoodie and shorts and jumped into the water and laughed when Minseok disappeared and reappeared right in front of him. "You're so fast." Jongdae marvelled. "I've always been a good swimmer but you're just amazing!" "Want to see something really amazing?" Minseok said and when Jongdae nodded he took him by the hand and pulled him under the water.

 

They swam down deep until they reached the reef and Jongdae's eyes widened at the plethora of life in front of him. He'd snorkelled before and even done a little free diving but with Minseok gripping his hand tight and pulling him along with strong kicks of his tail this was like nothing else he'd ever experienced. Fish swam unbothered as they weaved in and out of small and large schools, a sea turtle bobbed overhead; Jongdae even saw a long striped eel slither into a tiny cave in a rock. It felt like forever before he needed air and when he indicated this to Minseok the merling just pulled him closer.

 

Minseok held Jongdae tight in a warm embrace and pressed their lips together and Jongdae felt the rush of life giving air fill his mouth. Oxygen flooded his body and warmth filled his chest as the life giving kiss fulfilled his need. He smiled as they broke apart and dived a little deeper, Minseok briefly letting go of his hand, only to collect a shiny shell from the bottom. He indicated the surface now barely above them and when they swam up Jongdae was surprised to see they were near the shore. "Look!" he said as he carefully prised the shell open. Inside was a rarity, a shiny black pearl, and he pulled it out with a flourish. "This one is special." He pulled a strand from his hair and wrapped it around the treasure, tying it tight, before weaving it back in his long dark locks. "Let's get warm."

 

He led Jongdae to the shallows and they lay on their backs in the inches of warm sea water. The morning sun beat down on them as they lay side by side, just holding hands and talking, about Jongdae's life on the surface and Minseok's life below. Minseok told him about finding the place where his brothers had been lost, the frightening magic there, his need to find them and bring them home. "I'm the only one who can do it Jongdae." He said as his eyes glittered with tears. He still had his tail but every minute he was with Jongdae his tie to humanity strengthened. Emotions flooded his heart and he reached out for his mate and Jongdae sensed his need and held him tight. They lay in the shallows, legs tangled with fins, arms and scale and skin all together, and Minseok shivered a little as he began to cry. "I'm scared," he said as he rolled over and put his head on Jongdae's bare chest. "But I have to do this."

 

"Be brave," was all Jongdae could say in reply. He stroked the soft dark hair, drying to a satisfying salty crunch in the sun, enjoying the feeling of Minseok's cool tail under his warm leg. "I'll help you. Meet me at our usual place tonight and I'll follow you there in the boat." He felt Minseok relax into his embrace a little. "At least that way you won't be alone. Even if I'm on the surface I'll be with you."

 

They lay in silence for a while before Jongdae reiterated.

 

"I'll be with you Minseok. I'll always be with you."


	19. Chapter 19

 

 

The moon was waxing again and Minseok hoped he would still be around when it became full. Every chance he got to be with Jongdae was a blessing. He would never take a moment for granted and couldn't wait to feel his legs again.

 

He floated on the surface and wriggled his tail a little as he remembered the way Jongdae made him feel the night they mated. It made him feel funny inside, fluttery in his stomach, and itchy in his tail in a weird way. Like his legs were dying to split and break apart. He groaned aloud with frustration and dived under the water before surfacing again.

 

"Hello Moon..." he said as he spoke aloud to the sky. "I need to say thankyou. I didn't understand why you brought me here at first. Why you chose me to leave my land life behind." He closed his eyes and gave in to the weightlessness of the water below him. "But now I do. I know why I'm here. I'm here to bring our brothers home. I'm here to help Yixing connect with his mate." He swam in a little circle as he thought carefully before floating on his back again. "Most importantly I'm here to keep Jongdae safe." He smiled as the beautiful name slipped past his cold lips.

 

"I want to ask you just one favour." He thought carefully before he spoke again. "There were eight before they were lost. Then when I came I made them six." The tears of humanity that remained alive spread thickly across his deep dark irises that reflected the sincerity of the stars overhead. "If I bring three home then surely you could spare me. They would be eight again. And I could go back to land." His bottom lip trembled at his own words. Sad words of longing and loneliness, of hopeful subservience, of a chance to be happy again. "I know you wouldn't have shown my mate to me if we couldn't be together." He had faith in his golden goddess, the light and guide of his magical life, and he knew she wouldn't let him down.

 

He didn't know what was going to happen that night but he knew he had to try.

 

After his private worship and deference, his quiet plea to the sky, he dipped below the waves. He found Yixing waiting on the ocean floor for him swirling his long tail in the soft sand. He was singing quietly to himself as his tail made patterns on the ocean floor and when he saw Minseok coming he looked up and smiled. "Are you ready?" he asked and Minseok nodded. He led the way East across the ocean bed towards their meeting place where he hoped Jongdae would be waiting.

 

"Don't be scared." Minseok gripped Yixing's soft white hands and stroked the backs of them. Where his hands travelled skin and scale in pearl and pink glowed softly in response to his touch. "Jongdae is gentle. He's a little bit loud but he doesn't mean it and he would never hurt you." Yixing shivered and nodded. He was terrified of humans, as was his merling nature and instinct, but he trusted his beautiful teal-tailed brother. And he wanted to bring their brothers home. They needed help.

 

 

 

 

 

Jongdae had been waiting for a while. It gave him comfort to just be in their meeting place. He was happiest here where he could almost feel Minseok's presence, his magic in the air, his aura in the night.

 

He heard a splash and then another and he leaned over to see two heads poking up out of the water. He waved to Minseok who waved back and he had to smile at the shy merling hiding behind Minseok in fear. "Come down!" Minseok called out and Jongdae shed his clothes and jumped over the side.

 

 

He swam to his mate and when they were together Minseok left his place of protection to go to Jongdae. They embraced and shared a kiss and Jongdae was suddenly aware they weren't alone. "Is this your brother?" he asked and Minseok smiled. He grabbed Yixing and pulled him out from behind and Yixing smiled shyly. "Hi," he said and his fear disappeared. He could feel Jongdae's gentleness and his concern, his affinity for the waves and the water, his love of the salt and sky that ruled their lives.

 

He reached out with a pink scaled arm and stroked Jongdae's cheek. "You're right!" he said with an exclamation of surprise as he turned towards Minseok. "He is like us! He feels like us!" Yixing pulled Jongdae into a hug and the man was surprised at how different he felt. Minseok's hugs felt warming and weightless and tinged with a tingle. He likened it to the feeling when your feet are so cold that you can't feel them and then they start warming up. Yixing's hugs were heavy and powerful even though the creature looked fine and delicate. And when Yixing pulled him close he felt every ache and pain, every injury he'd ever felt, dissipate like dissolving salt into the water around him.

 

Minseok held him by one hand and Yixing by the other as they told Jongdae what they were going to do. Minseok was going to find their brothers and try to somehow negate the magic keeping them captive. Yixing would stay close enough to help but far enough to be safe. He was vulnerable to the evil that hid in the red tinged cave. If something happened to Minseok he would try to bring him to the surface. Jongdae didn't know how he could help but at least he could be there for whatever fate had decided.

 

"Are you sure about this?" he asked quietly and Minseok nodded. "I've asked the moon for a deal!" he said excitedly. He was worried about Yixing's reaction but he was too lost in love to care. "I've asked her if I can bring my brothers home and return to land. An exchange." Jongdae furrowed his brow as he considered this deal. He wondered if he could make such a sacrifice. Could he give up a magical life under the ocean? As he looked at Minseok, moonlight reflecting off his hair and scale, he knew the answer immediately. Of course he could. He would give up everything for Minseok. Even his life. Not just his life on land, or a magical life under the waves, but his whole existence if it meant Minseok's survival.

 

"Lead the way," he said to the merling creatures and swam back to his fishing boat. He climbed over the side and back onto the deck and dressed in his clothes again. He raised the anchor and turned the boat and followed the merling's luminescent glow as they made their way slowly through the night. An ominous feeling descended over Jongdae, he didn't know what fate had decided for him this night, but he knew whatever it was he would face it with bravery.

 

For Minseok.

 

For his mate.


	20. Chapter 20

 

 

When they reached the right place the merlings stopped. Jongdae tried to drop his anchor but to his worried dismay the ocean was too deep. He would have to risk it.  "I can't come down!" he called out to them. He couldn't leave his boat unanchored. "I'm sorry," he said into the darkness as he realised this might be goodbye and it was terrible. He instantly regretted all the words he'd left unsaid as the luminescent creatures disappeared into the deep black depths.

 

He didn't know what to do now but wait and try to keep the boat there where he last saw Minseok.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minseok and Yixing dived. The surface faded and the ocean floor was still miles away. They dived deeper and deeper, past a huge jellyfish with tentacles longer than their tails. They saw a shark in the distance, huge and looming, but when it opened its mouth wide they realised it was a basking shark. Huge but harmless and neither friend nor foe. They avoided it anyway.

 

When they reached the place Yixing held back. The rich red glow was already drawing him and it was both beautiful and terrifying. The lust he felt for whatever power the cave contained outweighed his love for his brothers and his desire for his mate and Minseok could see panic on his face. "Move away..." he urged and Yixing swam back a little further. He'd brought Yixing here to help him but now he was afraid that they might both be lost. "If something happens to me don't come for me. Stay safe and make sure you tell everyone I tried my hardest."

 

Yixing shook his head but Minseok pulled him into a tight hug. "Do not come any closer. You need to live." He looked his brother in the eye and the silent words were loud and clear. Yixing nodded his agreement and Minseok smiled sadly at him. "Thank you," he said. "For loving me and taking care of me, for healing me and helping me, for being my brother."

 

And with a flick of his tail he was gone.

 

 

 

 

He swam with purpose towards the red glowing cave. He was almost there when they appeared in front of him. Three with tails like slicked oil and eyes like glowing coals. "Have you come to join us?" the tallest one said and Minseok used his old name. "No I haven't Yifan. I would never fall to your ways." Yifan looked confused when he realised the magic had no effect on the merling in front of him. "What are you?" he hissed as his mate tried to grab Minseok's arm. "I am just me. I'm different," Minseok said with a voice stronger than he felt. But he had to stay brave.

 

"What are you?" he asked and the other replied. "We are shipbreakers." He laughed as he looked to the surface and a cold terror crossed Minseok's face. "Shipbreakers..." he repeated and the two laughed and began to swim towards the surface.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jongdae floated aimlessly in his boat, his mind a mess, his chest hurting as he worried. His captain's instinct told him something bad was going to happen and his intuition screamed at him to flee. But he couldn't leave him.

 

He promised.

 

He pulled his hoodie tighter when a strange wind whipped up around him. It felt strong but was unusually warm and without the scent of a thunderstorm. He looked out into the water and saw red flashes in the water and when waves began to churn he felt suddenly and deathly afraid. He'd never seen or felt weather like this before and it wasn't right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minseok watched on in terror as the two evil shipbreakers swam to the surface. Torn between the two determined to attack Jongdae and the one left to guard the cave Minseok had to choose. His stomach lurched with fear as he looked to the surface, then back at the cave, then to the surface again. "Be brave Jongdae..." he whispered to himself and chose to head to the cave.

 

The one who used to be Luhan grinned maniacally as he saw Minseok approach. "I'm the sentinel! I guard the magic of the cave and I need a partner! It's going to get you too! The magic in the cave!" he laughed aloud and Minseok held his words and hoped this went to plan. Luhan grabbed him and dragged him towards the cave and Minseok went limp and let himself be dragged. As long as he wasn't injured he should be okay.

 

Luhan pulled him by the arm into the cave and Minseok saw the three glowing orbs set in the back wall. As Luhan pulled him closer a fourth tried to pulse into life but it wavered and seemed weak. He felt his stomach lurch again, lust and power, magic trying to overtake him but his mind turned to Jongdae on the surface and tears filled his salty eyes. "Jongdae, please be brave and strong, and please don't ever forget me..." he felt a warmth spread through his body and a strange sensation of acceptance. He broke free from Luhan's grip and felt the painful sting of claws rake down his arm. Luhan went for his hair and began to pull and Minseok fought him fiercely. Tail and fin and claw fought for dominance in the glowing ocean cave and Minseok summoned all his internal strength.

 

He grabbed Luhan by one arm and reached for the orbs with the other. He hoped he had the right one and tried to grab it but it burnt his fingers and he hissed with pain. Luhan laughed again and struck out with his hands and claws and Minseok knew he was running out of chances. He balled up his hand into a fist and thought of the shipbreakers above as he smashed his fist hard into the wall. The orb dulled and cracked then glowed again, Luhan freed himself and grabbed Minseok in a tight hold, but the merlings strength was renewed. His fist smashed the wall over and over and finally shattered the orb and Luhan sank to the sand below them.

 

"Brother!" Minseok screamed as Luhan collapsed. His tail changed from fiery patterns of red and gold and black into a soft combination of sandy peach and pink and his arms glittered with shades of rose gold. Minseok looked from the dying merling to the remaining two orbs and chose to save his lost brother. He scooped his lifeless body up and carried him from the cave, desperate to reach the healing of Yixing, just in time to see the giant whirlpool the shipbreakers had created.

 

Minseok handed the lifeless creature over to Yixing who laid him down on the sand. His hands worked hard all over his body to try and bring him back "He's coming just slowly." Yixing said calmly and Minseok didn't know what to do. He was torn between returning to the cave and going to the surface but he knew he couldn't fight the shipbreakers alone.

 

 

 

He looked up to the surface and felt at a loss just in time to see the faded outline of the boat in the distance. It was tossed uncontrollably in the terrible storm being created and just as Minseok decided to return to the cave he saw the boat crack in half and he screamed.


	21. Chapter 21

 

 

 

Jongdae knew he was staring death in the face. He could see the glimmer and glow of the red and black shipbreakers in the water. He knew they weren't like Minseok, he could feel the aura of evil around them, and when the water started to swirl he understood. He'd grown up hearing the myths and legends of shipbreakers and sirens, creatures of darkness that would draw sailors to their doom, singing them into rocks or breaking their boats apart. He knew exactly what they were.

 

He was powerless to stop them and he knew it. So he stood stoic on the deck and gave in to the feeling of the waves and the wind around him. In a strange way he'd never felt so alive. He knew the water was an inevitability and he walked back into the cabin. His sharpest fishing knife went into his pocket and he took his necklace from Minseok off and tightened it around his wrist. He would go willingly into the face of danger, even to his death, to help Minseok with his mission.

 

When he walked back out onto the deck he heard the creak and groan of wood splitting. He shed his hoodie and his shoes and stood in his shorts near the side before taking one last deep breath of oxygen and plunging over the side. Black invaded all his senses, filling his eyes, his ears, his nose burning from the salt. Then he saw them coming towards him. Glowing eyes of crimson terror, tails of the most beautiful evil he'd ever seen, and their bodies intent on destroying his.

 

But Jongdae wasn't going down without a fight. He lined up the smaller one, the one who looked weaker, and gripped the knife in his pocket. "Grab him Tao!" the taller shrieked in an unhuman voice and the younger creature launched at him with full strength. They wrestled and fought and everywhere they touched Jongdae he felt like he was on fire. He managed to get the knife free and when the taller and older one grabbed him by the hair and pulled his head back his neck was exposed.

 

He lurched with one last gasp for life and stabbed, the knife slicing easily into the belly of the evil merling creature. Black blood sprayed through the water and the creature sliced out at his neck with dangerous claws before dropping slowly to the ocean floor. Red blood mixed with black as the three began to sink together. The other evil shipbreaker dropped his grasp on Jongdae and went for his mate with a low scream that made Jongdae shiver. He hoped desperately that it wasn't the last sound he ever heard before the darkness that surrounded him swallowed him whole.

 

 

 

 

 

Luhan shivered and shook and suddenly his eyes shot open. "I don't know you...." He mumbled at Minseok before turning to Yixing. "Yixing where have I been?" he asked and Yixing pulled him tight. "Luhan, my brother, you've come back to us!" Minseok smiled but his attention quickly refocused on the nightmare above. He broke away from the little group to swim towards the surface when he felt their connection quiver.

 

He knew Jongdae was in trouble and swam quicker and when he saw him sinking he began to sob. "Jongdae..." he held his arms out and captured the limp body of his mate, his love and his lover, and his lip trembled as he pulled him close. Blood was pouring from his neck and filling the water around him and Minseok knew he had to work fast before sharks came and made his life even harder.

 

"Yixing..." he called and Yixing, reluctantly leaving his brother in the sand, came to help him with the dying man. "I can't heal him Minseok. It's too bad. I'm sorry..." Yixing knew as soon as he saw the wound it was too much. "Help me get him to the surface," Minseok said with a trembling voice and they worked their tails hard as they tried to get there as quick as they could.

 

When they broke free at the surface Minseok knew he was fading fast. "Leave us alone please...." he said and Yixing yielded to his brother's plea. He sank slowly below the surface and left Minseok to his grief as the merling sobbed and held Jongdae floating under the gaze of his glowing goddess on the surface of the ocean.

 

They floated in the black water as Minseok cried loudly. "I'm sorry Jongdae. I made the wrong choice." Tears poured out of his eyes and mixed with the blood surrounding them in the water. "I should have fought them for you..." Jongdae was pale and lifeless and when Minseok leaned over him he couldn't feel the warmth of his breath.

 

"Why?" he yelled at the huge glowing moon overhead. "Why did you have to take my legs? I could have been happy if only we shared a world together." He held Jongdae tight and cried even harder. "I tried..." he sobbed. "I tried to make it right. I did my best."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jongdae felt a strange form of relaxation flood his body. He didn't feel any fear or panic, just an acceptance and resignation of his fate. As the cold dark water swallowed him whole he gave in to the feeling of black water filling his lungs and his body.

 

He hoped it would be be quick and that it would stay this relaxing. Jongdae just didn't want any pain. The pain of leaving Minseok behind was enough. He let the cold black shroud envelope him and as he sank further and further from the surface above he could see his beloved boat breaking apart. The ship breakers had won. They'd taken his boat and taken his life but he felt happy knowing he'd gotten at least one of them back.He felt warmer the further down he went and he felt like he could breathe again and he almost felt like he was being held safe in Minseok's arms again.

 

 

 

 

_So this is what it feels like to die?_

_To drown?_

_To bleed out?_

_To leave this world behind?_

 

 

 

 

 

_It wasn't so bad._

 

But just as the warm relaxation surrounded him he felt the touch of his mate. It was unmistakeable now, the comfort of being held safe in his lover's arms, and he willed himself to open his eyes. When he finally could all he could see was the deep dark pools of Minseok's irises staring into his.

 

"Am I dead? Are you dead too?" He asked and Minseok shook his head. He was distracted by a flash of silver, the sparkle of teal and a dark navy blue, then just a touch of gold. The flash of colour and light distracted him again and he suddenly realised it was him making those flashes. The distracting flashes that glittered and glowed with colour and beauty seemed to be under his control and shock flooded his body when he realised what it was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tail.

 

 

 

His tail.


	22. Epilogue

 

 

 

 

Baekhyun stood expectantly on the dock and his heart pined when he saw the rescue boat with its big searchlight. It slowed down as it approached the wharf and when it docked Baekhyun could see the look on Chanyeol's face. He immediately started to cry.

 

"I'm sorry Baek." Chanyeol said as he wrapped the smaller man in his arms. They stayed like this for what felt like forever, Baekhyun sobbing loudly into Chanyeol's shirt, Chanyeol's tears silent as they rolled down his cheeks.

 

"He might be out there safe somewhere." Chanyeol said as he stroked Baekhyun's hair. They pulled apart and wandered along the wharf to the cafe where Baekhyun had been keeping the search party fuelled with coffee and sandwiches and Jongdae's favourite cakes. "He's a strong swimmer and he knows the water around here better than anyone!" Baekhyun brightened considerably and Chanyeol smiled weakly. He wondered how he was going to tell him they found the broken up remains of Jongdae's beloved boat.

 

 

 

 

 

Chanyeol lay awake that night and listened to the soft sounds of Baekhyun sleeping next to him. He couldn't work it out. Jongdae had no reason to be in that area so far out of the bay. Maybe he chased a school of something tempting and went too far? And the broken boat? There hadn't been any storms and there were no rocks or reefs near where they found it.

 

The local rescue service searched for a week before they called it off. Chanyeol went back to his daily duties on the wharf and Baekhyun busied himself in the cafe imagining Jongdae castaway on a desert island somewhere. And life as they knew it went on somewhat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chanyeol would sometimes drop a crab net over the side of the wharf while he worked. It was an old habit he had enjoyed since he took on the job and it always made Baekhyun happy to have fresh blue swimmer crab for dinner. The wharf was less busy without Jongdae's regular hauls and as soon as he had a break he went to the net. Chanyeol leaned over the side as his huge arms dragged the net to the surface with ease.

 

To his surprise there were no crabs. He was just about to drop the net back down to the bottom for another try when something caught the light. He worked the rope and hauled the net up, pulling the round crab net over the edge, and dropping it onto the wooden surface of the wharf.

 

He flicked a little seaweed aside and pulled the strand from the bottom. It was a strange woven string, dotted with tiny pearls and shells, a thing of beauty too delicate for the hands of man.

 

He dropped the empty net back over the side and cupped the string delicately in his big hand. He couldn't wait to take it to Baekhyun and show him what he'd found.

 

He was going to love it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jongdae raced through the sparkling water of the shallow bay. Sunlight filtered through the waves above and made the whole world glitter and glow as he swam. When he made it to the reef he slowed down and laughed when Minseok finally caught up to him. "How are you so fast?" He gasped and Jongdae laughed loudly and wrapped his arms around the other merling. "I don't know!" He said brightly and leaned forward to peck a kiss on Minseok's nose. "Maybe you're just slow!" Minseok frowned for a second before reaching down and grabbing a handful of seaweed to slap Jongdae in the face with and soon they were both shrieking and rolling around under the water as they played.

 

 

When they decided it was time to head for home Jongdae had a whole collection. He had found a big shiny conch and decided it was going to be the next gift he left for Baekhyun in Chanyeol's net. He ran his fingers over the smooth surface and smiled to himself and Minseok watched him with love. "Do you miss them?" he asked and Jongdae nodded. "I do. But I wouldn't change it Minseok. This is where I'm supposed to be."

 

 

 

 

As they approached the palace of the merling king they saw the pair of guardians either side of the sandy path. "Hi Sehun!" They called in unison to the stoic and strong merling on one side keeping watch. "Hi Luhan." They called out to the other merling posted on the opposing side and he grinned and waved to them before turning his attention back to keeping guard.

 

 

 

They made their way onto their home and stopped off at their nest to drop off Jongdae's treasures. Jongdae sifted through them, pulled out a large irregular shaped pearl with a distinct pink hue, and held it out for Minseok to see. "You know who would love this?" He asked. "Our Queen." Minseok grinned in reply.

 

They swam towards the seat of the Merling King and found him seated with his Queen beside him. They radiated happiness and joy and made everyone around them feel happy. When Yixing and Minseok had brought Sehun's mate home to him Junmyeon had immediately taken Yixing as his mate. He explained to him that he could never enjoy their love while Sehun waited alone so sadly and now that burden had been lifted. Everyone had their mate to nest with at night.

 

 

 

 

"I found this for you my Queen." Jongdae said deferentially and swam towards Yixing. When he held the pearl out. Yixing took it with a smile and wound it in his hair before grabbing Jongdae by the arm. "Come on!" He said as he pulled him away from the chair. "I want to race. I think I can beat you this time!" Yixing took off immediately leaving Jongdae in his wake screaming something about winning by cheating before they were both gone. Minseok just shrugged at Junmyeon who laughed and shrugged as well.

 

That night when they curled together in their nest, warm and secure, tails wound around each other Minseok couldn't sleep. He slipped out of Jongdae's grasp and swam to the surface. The moon was full and he floated on the surface as he wondered if he would ever want to have his legs for a little while. Maybe one day he could go with Jongdae to the surface and they could change and use their legs and go see Jongdae's brothers?

 

He would like that.

 

"Thank you Moon." Minseok said to the sky as he dived underneath. Salt filled his mouth and nose as he swam back to his mate, back to his home, and back to his life of magic and bliss.

 

 

 

The End


End file.
